03, Qiqiao

"No... it's not a mosquito..." he mumbled in a soft, sticky voice, his right hand, which was wrapped around her slender waist, restlessly exploring upwards, his fingers skillfully slipping into her clothing, "I want... I want to..."

Wang Yi deliberately changed the subject, and Zhang Pengzu understood immediately, so he smiled and said: "Indeed, if that were the case, he would not have had the luck to marry this little darling."

The cool autumn breeze caressed her rosy cheeks, lifting strands of hair, as her elbows rested on the embroidery frame, and the embroidery needle held delicately between her fingers was pricking the fabric.

"Ping Jun... um... that..."

Wang Yi knew that what he said was the truth; although his words were harsh, they were all reasonable. Liu Bingyi, despite appearing carefree and cynical, possessed an identity that represented a past glory turned tragic since birth. Therefore, he inherently held a sense of pride and self-respect that was more fragile than others. However, in reality, this pride could not be exchanged for three stones of rice; compared to self-respect, life was the most important matter of all.

My dear brother, why are you in such a hurry?

As he stumbled during the meeting, he unexpectedly fell to the ground. Wang Yi was just about to reach out to help him up when he swiftly got back on his feet by himself. His right knee must have hit the ground hard, and although he grimaced in pain, he was still smiling. The mixture of pain and joy made his entire face appear remarkably strange

"Did you not go to the cockfight today? My father left early in the morning."

She shook her shoulders but was unable to shake him off; instead, it caused his hand to naturally wrap around her waist.

Zhang Pengzu's nonchalant response caused Liu Bingyi to lose his temper on the spot. He swung his hand and slapped him on the shoulder, saying, "That is my wife. What do you know, you brat? If I don't care for her, who will? Look at you, heartless and ungrateful, yet you know how well she has treated you all this time."

The fragmented kisses fell upon her body, one by one, as dense as a light rain. Pingjun had long lost his clarity of mind, and the moans that escaped her ruby lips drove him into a frenzy. The beautiful and sacred form of the young girl glowed like a holy relic under the moonlight, captivating and intoxicating.

All changes occur in an instant, and then Liu Bingyi let out a strange cry, "Aow!" as he leaped and dashed back like a whirlwind, just as he had come.

Wang Yi heard clearly and knew that Zhang Pengzu was outside, so he called out, "Is Pengzu here?"

She remained silent for a long time before finally sighing, "After all, he is a great-grandson of the emperor"

"Well... so..." he untied the knot under her right armpit, "Am I not discussing this with you?"

Wang Yi had originally hurriedly crossed the central hall to head towards the rear garden, but suddenly came to a halt and turned around in astonishment

Who does she think she is

Liu Bing had just welcomed Wang Yiying into the door, and upon returning, he happened to witness this scene.

He smiled faintly, and for some inexplicable reason, his mood became unexpectedly cheerful

Zhou Yangmeng stood on the stone steps in front of the open door of the pavilion, facing the maid who knelt before him, crying and pleading. He could only slap the stone railing, biting his silver teeth and swallowing his tears.

Let go! My hair...

Ping Jun happened to doze off, his head nodding heavily. He swiftly and steadily supported her chin with his hand, gently tilting her head to rest against his chest.

"What happened?" Wang asked, noticing that he was still barefoot. He quickly picked up the shoes from the steps and handed them over, but the patient didn't even glance at them. Instead, he grabbed her arm with such force that it made her gasp in pain

The patient suddenly smiled and quietly explained to Wang Yi, "She is always so confused. This morning, she was still shouting about wanting to thread a needle for the Qixi Festival, and now she is actually sitting there dozing off. Isn't it precisely because she is too bored?"

"So what? Liu Biqiang was chosen by General Huo, and both father and son successively held the position of Zongzheng, but in the end, they are just small figures. Whether he ascends to greatness or falls to obscurity is entirely dependent on the words of others." She was referring to the matter of Liu De ultimately being demoted to commoner status for refusing to marry Huo Guang's daughter.

It is just so, it is just so

Wang Yi is also smiling, but Zhang Pengzu, who knows her better than she knows herself, can still perceive the fleeting moment of disappointment that flashes in her eyes.

I did not see any mosquitoes

As night fell and the lights were turned off, Pingjun took off her outer garment and lay down on her left side, her breathing steady. However, the patient turned over twice in bed, unable to contain herself any longer, and finally spoke up: "Pingjun, are you asleep?"

The illness had come upon them abruptly; in his haste to hold onto Pingjun, he had not even put on his shoes, running away in nothing but his socks. She looked down at the pair of shoes, the square-toed cloth shoes, one shoe facing upwards and the other turned on its side. She stared blankly at them, standing on the empty steps of the hall, and then slowly bent down to pick up the turned-over shoe, placing it back in order.

Two people were chatting casually in the hall when suddenly they heard a loud "bang" from the back garden. They turned their heads in shock and saw Liu Bingyi jumping around as he rushed through the middle hall. Before he even reached them, his voice, filled with exasperation, had already reached their ears.

A single sentence suddenly silenced the originally boisterous Liu Bingyi; his hand still grasped Peng Zu's shoulder, and his expression was a mix of surprise and joy, as if he had been struck by a sudden shock that left him momentarily stunned

Wang Yi smiled and said, "However, one cannot just sit in the hall and pretend to doze off. The days are getting cooler, so be careful not to catch a chill from the wind."

Ping Jun did not respond, the breath of illness scorched | the heat sprayed on her face, he whimpered like a little dog, gently kissing and nibbling at her neck

The embroidery frame was placed beside her, and on the fabric was half of the unfinished "The Playful Mandarin Ducks" by Ping Jun. Wang Yi sat there peacefully, holding an old shoe in her hand, intently threading the needle through the shoe's surface.

When the thousands of palace maids were vying to ascend the open pavilion, outside the palace, Xu Pingjun was sitting in the well-ventilated hall, holding a flower embroidery needle in her hand, occasionally nodding her head with her eyes narrowed.

Zhang Pengzu rubbed his shoulders, muttering as he put on his shoes and walked down the steps: "Isn't it quite normal for women to vomit? In my family, there are so many women, and some of them particularly enjoy throwing up, turning pale as a ghost yet still feeling quite happy..."

Shi had lived in Chang'an for more than two months. At the end of June, as the heat gradually dissipated, it was just the right time to travel. Therefore, Shi took Shi Dan and a group of attendants back to the State of Lu. Before leaving, Shi left a sum of money for Liu Bingyi and his wife, and repeatedly urged them that if they had the time, they should visit Madam Shi in the State of Lu. The elderly lady, despite her advanced age, always thought of her great-grandson. If Bingyi could bring his wife back to the State of Lu, she would surely be extremely delighted. Before leaving, Shi left a sum of money for Liu Bingyi and his wife, and repeatedly urged them that if they had the time, they should visit Madam Shi in the State of Lu. The elderly lady, despite her advanced age, always thought of her great-grandson. If Bingyi could bring his wife back to the State of Lu, she would surely be extremely delighted

"Where has everyone gone? The door is open, yet no one is in sight. The fallen leaves in the courtyard should be swept up!" Zhang Pengzu muttered in dissatisfaction, and just as he clumsily barged into the room, he happened to catch sight of Wang Yi sitting in the hall.

What is so impressive?

Wang Yi frowned slightly: "The monthly rent for this house is not a small sum, and coupled with the daily expenses, it is indeed quite a burden for the couple."

Xu Hui invited: "Young Master Zhang, please take a seat in the hall, I will go to invite the lord and his lady."

Seek a physician! Go find a physician

She arched her back, forcefully pressing down on his wandering hand, trembling as she said, "You promised not to bully me again"

After a while, a cheerful response finally came from outside: "You arrived even earlier than I did!" He appeared, stepping onto the stone steps one by one

As friends who grew up together, Zhang Pengzu and Wang Yi are very well aware of Liu Bingyi's bad habit, but they never confront him about it directly, as no one dares to speak so openly, except for Xu Pingjun

Ping Jun's shoulders slightly shrank, and he immediately noticed, smiling and saying: "I know you haven't slept..."

Where do all these hypotheticals come from? If there were really such hypotheticals, then there would be no need for Pingjun's sister at all

She hugged her shoulders, bent her chest, and moved towards the edge of the bed, murmuring: "No noise, I want to sleep"

"I have no money left." He wandered aimlessly in the hall, "I received my salary at the beginning of the month, but before I could even warm it up, it was taken away by Liu Ciqing."

She stood in the hall, smiling as she welcomed him, a scene reminiscent of a devoted wife waiting for her husband to return home, her gentle smile reflecting the warmth of a breeze, her soft voice whispering, "You are back." Every pore of his body was swelling with a yearning, as he suppressed the disappointment deep within his heart, pushing it down into the depths of his being, allowing the joy painted by his abundant fantasies to envelop his heart, which, in truth, already understood everything. Listening to her soft voice saying, "You are back," every pore of his body was swelling with a yearning, as he suppressed the disappointment deep within his heart, pushing it down into the depths of his being, allowing the joy painted by his abundant fantasies to envelop his heart, which, in truth, already understood everything.

He turned back and mouthed to Wang Yi, "I apologize," then steadily carried his wife into the back garden's bedroom

Ping Jun said she felt a tightness in her chest and was unwell. I thought she was joking, but unexpectedly, she suddenly vomited... Thinking of Ping Jun's pitiful appearance, with tears and mucus streaming down her face and her body completely weakened, his heart twisted in anguish. "Third Miss, could you please go into the room and take good care of her for me? Peng Zu, did you drive here? Hurry up and come with me to look for someone."

He continued to hop towards the dormitory direction, limping on his leg.

Time seems to stand still in this moment

She reached out to pat the surface of her shoes, the dust settling down, and the two geese appeared vividly lifelike. One of them had a slightly loose stitch on the tip of its gliding wing. She stood there in a daze, holding the shoes, her gaze fixed on the embroidery frame placed in the hall.

Bing Yi originally did not want to wake his wife, but upon hearing Wang Yi's words, he hurriedly took off his shoes and ran into the hall. Wang Yi thought he would, as usual, slap down to scare Ping Jun awake, and his lips moved as if to speak and stop him. However, to his surprise, he saw Bing Yi tiptoe quietly over, taking off his outer garment and gently draping it over Ping Jun's shoulders

What can be done? My uncle has been unable to persuade my father to let him come to my house as a servant, yet he has politely declined. I really do not understand what he is thinking; is he so concerned about his pride that he is willing to suffer? What is wrong with coming to my house to eat and drink? With me around, who would dare to give him a hard time?

She, once favored by the Emperor, has become indistinguishable from the thousands of women in the inner palace

Zhang Pengzu looked down disdainfully and said: "What about the emperor's great-grandson? The city of Chang'an is most abundant with these royal relatives who hold no titles or official positions. I will not compare with others, but let me mention the late Zongzheng Liu Piqiang, who was a descendant of King Liu Jiao of Chu, making him a great-uncle of the current emperor in terms of lineage. Although Liu Piqiang was the grandson of Liu Jiao, his father Liu Fu was not the legitimate eldest son, and he himself was not the legitimate eldest son of Liu Fu either. Therefore, the titles and fortunes of the King of Chu had no relevance to him, and in the end, he could only flee to Chang'an with his family, seeking refuge and being granted permission by the late emperor to settle in the capital... He was also a descendant of Gaozu, yet Liu Piqiang and Liu De could only linger as guests and servants in the residence of Prime Minister Tian, barely making a living. With my father's current status and honor, could it possibly be inferior to that of Prime Minister Tian back in the day?"

The illness had been agreed upon, and since it was still the honeymoon period, even though Shi had repeatedly advised him, he did not take it to heart. After Shi left, he took his new wife to explore every county and city in the Three Fuz and the capital during the pleasant autumn weather, filled with boundless joy

Wang Yi quickly stood up after hearing Xu Hui's voice, placing the shoe back on the step. Zhang Pengzu stood on the left side of the west steps, concealed by the bushes; she did not see his figure, and he did not come out immediately, remaining steadfastly there for a long time waiting.

He rested his chin on her shoulder and said in a muffled voice, "But I can't sleep, I... feel uncomfortable..." He twisted his body and slapped his leg with his hand, saying, "A mosquito bit me."

After asking the question, there was a long silence without a response. The moonlight outside was hazy, and the thin rays of the moon clearly outlined the woman's delicate and graceful curves in the darkness. He licked his lips, slowly moved closer, pressing his chest against her back, and softly inquired, "Are you really asleep?"

He smiled, "You are very suited to be the mistress of this house"

What of a beauty? Do not say she is merely a beauty; even in this palace, a noble consort is now no different from us.

Ping Jun slightly lifted her eyelids, drowsily glancing at Bing Yi for a moment. Then, she mumbled something unintelligible and naturally wrapped her arm around his neck. Bing Yi knelt on one knee, embraced her in his arms, and lifted her horizontally.

He was stunned, to the point that he forgot what he had just said and what he was supposed to do next. He stood in the hall, like a fool, until Xu Hui, who appeared out of nowhere, approached him with a flattering greeting: "Young Master Zhang has arrived, and coincidentally, Miss Wang is here today as well"

"Indeed, but like us, even the majesty's face cannot be seen..."

"If you have the ability, go to the Pepper Chamber and ask the Empress to move her seat for you!"

You... your words... do not count...

You have not understood my meaning. What I am saying is that Liu Bingyi is actually inferior to Liu Biqiang and Liu De. To put it nicely, he is a great-grandson of the emperor, the only bloodline left by the Crown Prince of Wei, as if his status is so precious and unique, but in fact, it is hardly worth mentioning. Not to mention that the Wei family no longer exists, just consider this... if the Crown Prince of Wei were still alive, would the situation of the Second Minister be any different from now? Have you not thought about it? What is his mother's background? What is his father's background? The Second Minister's grandmother was merely a concubine of the Crown Prince of Wei, and his father, Liu Jin, is a son of a concubine whom the Crown Prince of Wei would not even remember to take with him when he fled Chang'an. The Second Minister's mother is even more insignificant, just a family member that Liu Jin kept by his side... Therefore, even if the Wei family were still flourishing, what could the illegitimate Liu Bingyi possibly gain? What difference is there between him and Liu Biqiang's family, who have been displaced from the State of Chu to Chang'an?" Zhang Pengzu glanced around the not-so-spacious courtyard and smiled coldly, "I fear that if he brings Pingjun along, he will live even worse than he does now.

On the seventh day of the seventh month, within the open pavilion of Weiyang Palace, the palace maidens rushed in to thread needles and pray for skill. As the crowd gathered, there was inevitably a sense of competition for beauty. By the time Zhou Yangmeng arrived, the pavilion was already packed with people. Her personal maid attempted to drive away a few palace maids to make space for her mistress to sit, but unexpectedly, she was instead shooed away like a fly.

Wang Yi stood in the courtyard, the swaying figure in his line of sight becoming increasingly blurred. Finally, this time the tears in his eyes could not be held back, cascading down his cheeks and quickly sinking into the dry soil.

"Um..." With her collar slightly open, she was so nervous that a thin layer of sweat formed on her skin, yet he disregarded everything and began to kiss the exposed white skin on her chest. Her mind went blank, her head tilted back slightly, and she unconsciously grabbed his hair.

Wang Yi stood on the platform, stepping closer to her one step at a time. Although there were only a few steps separating them, the proximity suddenly filled him with a sense of despondency, as if the outline before him was merely a fragile reflection in the water. He felt that if he dared to reach out and embrace it, it would surely shatter into a fine powder.

He once laid his pure heart bare before her, only to receive a cold rejection in return. Thus, all that remained in his heart was disappointment, and now, she unexpectedly wants to share this experience with him.

The warm breeze under the sunlight carried a gentle warmth as Wang Yi stood on the steps, gazing at the empty hall. The wind blew into her eyes, and suddenly, her eyes felt a burning sensation.

Two bodies entwined with each other made this originally sultry night even more scorching. Thus, in that beautiful moment of perfect harmony and natural progression, the overlapping screams finally shattered the silence.

Indeed, she, like the others, is adorned in exquisite beauty, yet no one comes to admire her. In this vast courtyard, the only person who could appreciate her now will go nowhere else but to the Pepper Chamber.

"Don't... don't pull my hair!" he cried out in pain, but his hands showed no hesitation as they quickly moved towards her legs, "You forced me to do this, you forced me. It's not that I want to bully you, it's that you bullied me first..."

The two shoes were brought together in one place, with mud splattered on the uppers and a pair of flying geese embroidered on the surface. She stared at them in a daze, noticing that the white lines of the geese were stained with gray, giving them a dull appearance. The familiar needlework reminded her naturally of a pair of nimble hands.