Their figures pressed close against one another until there was no space left. Along with taking her breath away, he consumed her every thought. She was kissed til her lips were swollen red and her cheeks flushed. Within her, a heat gradually rose; it was an unfamiliar feeling of surging desire. Unaware, he had begun to remove her clothes and she could feel a sense of coolness on her skin which made her draw even closer to him, to his body which was slowly heating up.

  “Bao’er, I want you,” He whispered amidst his gasp for air. Gazing down at her, his dark phoenix eyes were inflamed with passion. No matter if the world contained thousands of fragrant flowers, the only one that could stir his heart was her. No matter if he was deprived of water for days, the only one he would want to drink from was her alone.

  Slightly dazed, Hua Zhu Yu couldn’t comprehend how things had gotten this far. She had only wanted to hold him to keep him warm yet now he said he wanted her.

  With his firm body pressed tightly against hers and his dark eyes locked onto hers intently, she was completely entrapped by his commanding aura. A sliver of nervousness suddenly rose in her heart. She suddenly recalled the events of that night which further added to her unease.

  She remained silent for a long time, so long that a flicker of despair flashed in Ji Feng Li’s eyes.

  “Feng Li, I……” As soon as she spoke, his lips brushed softly against hers. “Bao’er, don’t refuse me, don’t,” he pleaded.

  “A……Alright,” Hua Zhu Yu responded in a low voice.

  Ji Feng Li’s hands reached for her inner robes. Under his agile movements, her clothes scattered apart, like a lotus blooming in the wind. Soon after, his kisses fell like raindrops, ceaselessly on her fair skin.

  He came well prepared, his movements quick and swift. He did not allow her the chance to protest.

  His lips trailed across her body, leaving red marks as he softly murmured in her ear, "Bao’er, I love you."

  In the next instant, she felt him as he entered, again and again. No longer was she herself and neither was he. They were entwined as one, never to part.

  Beside her ear, he continued to call out her name with each entry, tenderly, his voice low and hoarse.

  Outside the window, the cold rain continued to come pouring down as a warm spring scenery blossomed within the room.

  This night of passion compelled her to forget her pain and worries.

  This night, her entire world consisted of one person only and that was Ji Feng Li.

  ***

  At the sound of the birds chirping outside the window, Hua Zhu Yu was stirred awake. Outside, the skies were clear and blue. The rain had long since stopped. Sunlight seeped through the window screen, sprinkling warm rays of light on her bed.

  She was just about to get up but her body felt so sore and tender, she couldn’t help but lay back down. She suddenly recalled what happened last night and she couldn’t help but blush. She couldn’t believe that they tussled all night in bed.

  It turns out that loving a person was giving them both body and soul, so naturally and wonderful.

  Hua Zhu Yu beared with the pain and propped herself up to put on her clothes on the bed. When she glanced down at the brocade bedding, her heart slightly sank. Last night was not her first time. There was no red stain on the bedding. Ji Feng Li did not know that she was the one that had spent the night with him at the barracks. What did he think when he saw the clean bedding this morning she wondered. She’ll have to punish him tonight and tell him then.

  Long Yu brought breakfast and said with a playful smile, “The Prince

  told Princess Consort

  to sleep a little longer before he left. Why did you get up so early?”


  “What ’Princess Consort’, don’t make improper addressment!” Hua Zhu Yu corrected quietly. Obviously, this little girl

  knew everything.

  Long Yu smiled and said, “Alright, if you don’t want me to call you that now then that’s fine. In any case, it’s just 3 more days.”


  "Three days? What do you mean?” Hua Zhu Yu asked inquisitively.

  Long Yu chuckled and said, “Miss still don’t know? His Highness has told the Ministry of Rites to make preparations for the big wedding. Three days later, even if you don’t want to, this servant must still call you Princess Consort

  “


  "Big wedding? Long Yu, are you speaking the truth?" Hua Zhu Yu suddenly recalled last night, she seemed to have agreed to marry him. But she didn’t expect that he would go make preparations for the wedding so soon.

  “How could this servant dare to speak nonsense in front of Miss? The female palace servants of the inner court are waiting outside. They’re here to take Miss’s measurements and for Miss to choose the bolts of fabric and jewelry to make the wedding dress and phoenix crown. Although the wedding is rushed, His Highness has ordered that there should be no mistakes so as not to let Miss suffer any grievances,” Long Yu said with a grin.

  Hua Zhu Yu was still in shock and didn’t have time to react before Long Yu gave the order for the palace servants to enter. That entire day, Hua Zhu Yu was in a trance as she selected the bolts of fabric and jewelry.

  It was not until nightfall that

  finally settled back into its usual serenity. Long Yu told the little maidservants to prepare the hot water for the bath as she went to assist Hua Zhu Yu.

  Hua Zhu Yu was not used to others assisting her as she bathed. Moreover, the red marks Ji Feng Li had left on her body have yet to fade away. She didn’t want others to see so she ordered with a light smile, " You do not have to wait on me, Long Yu. You’re all dismissed. Go rest early for the night."

  Long Yu hesitated for a moment but after waiting on Hua Zhu Yu for the past few days, she knew that once Hua Zhu Yu made up her mind, it would not be changed easily so she led the little maidservants to pay respects before withdrawing.

  From the warm bathtub rose a dense steam as the petals of magnolia floated about on the water surface. There was a mix fragrance of flowers and medical herbs. Hua Zhu Yu walked up the steps and slid into the bath. The warm water rose and encircled her softly like silk. The warm bath helped ease the soreness of her body but did nothing to the marks left by Ji Feng Li. She rubbed the marks but they refused to go away.

  “It’s fine if you bathe longer. I told people to put some herbs in the water this morning," said a soft, mellow voice from behind.

  Hua Zhu Yu quickly turned around in surprise. She was unaware of when Ji Feng Li had entered but he was standing there quietly, not far behind her. His dark eyes were silently gazing at her attentively.

  She hadn’t seen him all day and didn’t think he would stop by tonight. To suddenly see him again like this she couldn’t help but blush. She sunk her body deeper in the waters and asked nervously, "You…… how did you get in?”


  Ji Feng Li slowly strode over to the bathtub and took a seat on the steps. He propped his hands on the edge of the tub and leaned over to look down at her. The corner of his lips slightly lifted in an evil smile as he asked, "What? Can’t I come?" His voice was low with a hint of teasing.

  “No…… you can’t! ” Hua Zhu Yu replied nervously. Although they had spent the night together, she still felt uncomfortable with him gazing at her like that.

  “Why?” He asked with a smile on his lips.

  Hua Zhu Yu could feel her ears turn red. How could she not have discovered that Ji Feng Li was such a scoundrel? He already knew why and still had the audacity to ask. Isn’t it obvious that when someone bathed they did not want to be seen by others?

  “It’s not fair!” Hua Zhu Yu retorted as she glared at him. But as her eyes locked onto his, she could see the undisguised desire in his gaze, making her heart skip a beat.

  “Why is it unfair?” He looked at her with a smile and said in a low voice, “Should I take off my clothes for it to be fair?”


  Hua Zhu Yu’s cheeks were burning and she submerged herself into the water deeper.

  With a lazy smile, he asked, "What are you hiding for? Isn’t it a bit late to fear my gaze? Bao’er you’re already mine."

  Hua Zhu Yu’s face once again was flushed red, this time not from embarrassment but from anger. She found that whenever she faced him, she was becoming less and less heroic as she had been on the battlefield and more and more like a bashful woman.

  "Who said I’m afraid of your gaze?" She said indignantly.

  He suddenly lifted her chin and gazed at her silently. Meeting his gaze she could see her reflection in his eyes. He suddenly leaned over and brushed his lips softly against hers. In that instant, she could sense the mellow smell of alcohol from his lips. Frowning slightly, she asked, "Feng Li, did you drink?"

  The smell of flowers and herbs was so strong in the room that she didn’t notice the smell of wine all over him. Hearing her question, his dark eyes slightly narrowed as a haziness fleeted across his pupils. “I drank a bit, but I’m not drunk, not drunk at all,” His voice was mellow and entrancing.

  Drunk people always said they’re not drunk. Hua Zhu Yu was sure that Ji Feng Li was drunk, really drunk.

  She was a little worried and wanted to get out of the bath but her clothes were hung on the hanger behind him. If she wanted to get them, she would have to bypass him but he was sitting there, looking down at her with his dark, phoenix eyes sparked with a gleaming desire, making her a little hesitant.

  “You, you go out first!” Hua Zhu Yu said as she bit her lips nervously.

  Not only did Ji Feng Li not leave, but he leaned even closer to the water. Hua Zhu Yu instinctively backed away in the tub but she was careless and her foot slipped, making her submerge into the water. Perhaps because she was nervous, or perhaps the herbs in the water were too strong that she felt suffocated. But in the next instance, her body became light as she was carried in his arms. He had wrapped his cloak around her and was carrying her to the inner room. She buried her head in his chest and the strong smell of wine mixed with his male scent assaulted her nose.

  “Bao’er, no matter who was in your heart before, you can only have me now,” He said, stressing each word. These plain words were spoken with a sharp undertone that was difficult to ignore. He proceeded to place her on top of the bed and leaned over to firmly take her lips with no reservations. Parting her lips, his tongue delved inside her mouth as his arms encircled her, forcing her to accept his kiss which gradually deepened as he ran his lips down her neck and

  down further, lighting a fire on her bare skin with his every touch……

  As the flames of the candles flickered, the room was scattered in a mix of light and shadow as the atmosphere rose with ambiguous entanglement.

  "Bao’er, call my name," he implored. It seems he was truly drunk. His heated eyes locked tightly onto her as he bit her lip and entered her, taking her to the heights of passion.

  That night he did not know what satisfaction meant as he entered again and again as if wishing to extend this sweetness till the end of time……

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