Chapter 4: Promotion, Wealth, and the Death of One's Wife

Whoever does not allow her to eat her fill, she will not let them sleep well

"Do not!" The woman's voice was mournful as she clutched the edge of the child's bed tightly, "Let me stay with him, let me accompany him for just one more night... midnight... just a moment... just a moment!"

Tai Shi Lan suddenly trembled all over, nearly falling off the wall.

Heavenly Castration

The fingers are as delicate as jade, yet the face is shrouded in the shadows of the light, with smooth contours that astonish with a single stroke

= = .

The moonlight is truly beautiful this evening

The fourth one, said Taishi Lan

The Rong family has a child, truly beautiful and unique, the azure sea swallows pearls, the vast sky gives birth to charm

This is a ballad that belongs to him, sung by everyone in the Southern Qi dynasty. However, it is said that the lyrics have recently been changed

That night, in addition to some being promoted, others also became wealthy

The man slipped in with a mysterious expression, closed the door, and before long, the sound of spring rain began to fill the room again

Have you seen the light borrowed from the fireflies by the bright moon

Tai Shi Lan, however, did not move, his eyes filled with impatience

The Sun family has sent word to the government, and Chief Steward Li is urgently delivering a message, inquiring whether you will return to the capital in person or if he should send a formal mourning letter instead

The live spring palace has always been a good touchstone for revealing the true personalities of the audience. For instance, among the four members of the research institute, Jing Hengbo would undoubtedly jump down to observe closely, while Jun Ke would certainly blush and turn away to escape. Wen Zhen would naturally exclaim, "Oh, how shameless and lewd! It's utterly scandalous!" covering her eyes yet peeking through her fingers, only to murmur, "The size is too small..." And as for Tai Shi Lan...

Not pale yet radiant, healthy skin; a straight nose; and softly pink, thin lips. Short hair tousled by the night breeze reveals a pair of narrow, bright eyes, with slightly upturned corners that soften the somewhat sharp curve, exuding a mix of coolness and disdain.

Tai Shi Lan only enjoys looking at naked chickens, but does not like to see naked people, whether male or female. She believes that the most beautiful body in the world is her own, and looking at others is an insult to her eyes

With a knife pointed to the south, he wore a smile on his face, yet his tone was as cold as ice

This brothel is truly thriving

Like the spring light, soft warmth is hidden in the chill, as a few scattered pear blossoms drift by in the cold wind

The pearl is a jewel; the charm is a specter. Ever since those daughters of noble families, who were as precious as pearls, have all turned into specters, this song has taken on a haunting atmosphere

The steward sighed a few times, contemplating that matters in the world are just like this; the reasons presented openly are never the truth, and when the truth is revealed, no one dares to believe it... It's akin to these wives passing away one by one; rather than saying it is due to their hard fate, it is more accurate to say that...

The man smiled, and the jade crown's tassels gently swayed at his cheek, the deep purple ribbons accentuating his skin's warmth and clarity, resembling pearls glowing softly in the darkness.

This woman has truly great stamina

That direction, the center of the Southern Qi, where the dragon's aura lingers, generations of splendor and wealth, the most magnificent and sinister place in the human world

However, if this continues, the master is likely to truly remain unmarried. The esteemed head of the Duke of Jin's household, the hereditary lord of the highest rank, who commands the Southern Qi's Dragon Soul Guard and possesses an incomprehensibly vast underground power, is unable to find a wife.

With a creak, the door opened, and a half-naked man, clutching his outer garment, stealthily slipped out and vanished into the darkness

She snatched a horse by the river but did not ride it at all. Upon reaching a town, she sold the horse and exchanged the money for inner and outer garments. She did not like wearing others' clothes, yet by a stroke of luck, she temporarily evaded the pursuit of Qianlixiang.

This top performer enjoys entertaining guests in the kitchen, which is somewhat unconventional

Do you know how funny it is for a carrot to mock a radish for being too thin

Is there still a moral principle related to books in this matter

Tai Shi Lan, sitting with one leg crossed over the other on the wall, wore an unpleasant expression

Thus, she coldly touched her belly, glanced at the sky, and decided to wait, only for this one. If this one did not leave after finishing, she would bang a gong on the wall.

It is still this night

The Rong family has a child, truly beautiful and unique, with the azure sea and pearl-like brilliance, under the bright moon of the vast sky

Because there is infidelity happening below

By the way, count.

Suddenly, there was a loud crash from below, sounding as if the bed had collapsed. The person on the bed leaned to one side and slid down, coming into view of Tai Shi Lan.

She fell into deep thought; the most critical question now was where to go. Looking for someone, the vast otherworld was scattered with three individuals, akin to a drop of water entering the ocean, leaving no trace for a while; searching for a dog? That would be less reliable than finding a person.

While handling the package, she suddenly felt that the fabric bag had a somewhat unique shape, but she did not pay much attention to it

In three years, three fiancées have died, and there are as many as eighteen rumors circulating in society. Among them, the three most supported claims are: "The Duke of Jin has a hard fate that harms his wives," "The Duke of Jin is obsessed with demonic practices, using the souls of beautiful women to cultivate techniques for preserving his youth," and "The Duke of Jin is actually a eunuch who despises women."

Qing'er

I will not go to the humble chamber... A woman, wiping her tears in front of a plate full of silver coins, said, "My child is gravely ill and on the verge of death; how can I possibly have the heart to enter the palace and serve as Your Majesty's wet nurse!"

Rong Chu's knife is indeed too sharp

"What nonsense are you talking about!" Her husband, anxious, rubbed his hands repeatedly, "This is an imperial decree; do you dare to defy it?" While pulling her sleeve and urging her to leave, he added, "Stop dawdling; the official is waiting outside!"

The blade glimmers under the moonlight and the dim light, reflecting a cold flash akin to a chilling gaze.

Tai Shi Lan rested his chin on his hand, propped up his legs, drooped his eyelids, and fell asleep

Which family's rascal is playing with the mirror?" The person on the wall turned his head impatiently

Indeed, it is quite good; a rich aroma wafts up from below, reminiscent of mushroom chicken soup— the most tempting food on a cool, hungry night

That night, someone also died of a wife

The young lady from the Sun family, the Vice Minister, has just left... The steward of the Jin Duke's villa in Anzhou, bending at the waist, carefully observed his master's expression, fully aware that his master, who had just had his underwear stolen, was likely in a rather poor mood

The vehicle rumbled away, with someone inside struggling, their body thudding against the car's exterior. The curtain was slightly parted by the impact, and through the narrow gap at the edge, a woman's gaze flashed with deep-seated hatred.

His response was only a single word, devoid of any discernible emotion. However, the butler seemed to understand immediately and explained, "The second young lady of the Sun family became your fiancée six months ago, and three days ago, she passed away unexpectedly."

Indeed, just as the man left, another man emerged from a different corner, gently knocking on the kitchen door. A soft, playful giggle came from inside, "Come in..."

The butler let out a silent sigh

= = .

The third one. The steward lowered his head, grimacing bitterly.

The third one, she said

A flash of light illuminates a face

The steward withdrew, and the heavy curtains gradually fell, bringing silence to this independent warm chamber with open sides.

Rong Chu gazed at the center of the void, raising a hand, with the nail clipper between his fingers slowly pointing towards the direction of the capital.

She saw that face

In other words, this is already the fourth one she has waited for here

Oh? Under the dim yellow light, someone is trimming their nails, holding a thin, gleaming knife between their fingers, as bright as the gaze of a beautiful woman. The fingers wielding the knife are even whiter and more delicate than the blade itself. The soft light casts a faint golden hue on the fingertips, making them appear as if coated with a layer of glaze, exquisite and lustrous

Yes, infidelity

On her raised wrist was a black cord, from which hung two thumb-sized objects. One was an ancient silver skull, inlaid with turquoise, glowing faintly green in the darkness; no matter the angle her wrist turned, the skull seemed to be staring at you. The other was a white, pointed tooth, resembling that of an animal. For those with keen eyesight, two characters could be seen engraved on the tooth—"Tai Shi"

The man sensed the impatience and anger in her words, shuddered slightly, and tightened his grip on the woman's hand. The woman lowered her head and bit down hard on his hand.

He sighed with sadness, feeling that the nail on his left index finger was not well-groomed

The woman listened but did not hear, turning her head to look at the child on the bed, who was barely alive. The man, with a hardened heart, dragged her outside, the heels of her shoes inching along the ground, leaving a long, deep mark.

The features of this woman, when viewed separately, may seem somewhat harsh, approaching an androgynous beauty. However, when combined on a standard oval face, they immediately harmonize, presenting a beauty that is both wild and restrained, embodying a contradictory elegance.

The consequence of the moonlight being too beautiful and the knife being too sharp is that Rong Chu's palm, holding the thin blade, reflects the moonlight, shooting out a bright beam that lands on the face of a person on the wall of a distant mansion, causing that person to squint his eyes.

Which one is it now? The question was asked with the same nonchalant demeanor.

Return to the palace

"Water Lady, you said you would come after checking on the child, yet you have dawdled until now." A sinister voice from outside echoed, "Your Majesty remembers you. The Empress Dowager has issued a special decree summoning you, a fortune you could never earn in eight lifetimes, and yet you still weep and wail. How unfortunate!"

The kitchen below is quite spacious, featuring three large rooms. The innermost room even has a bed, presumably for the cooks who keep watch through the night. At this moment, the window of that room is half-open, revealing a corner of the bed, where the covers are tossed about, and soft laughter and affectionate whispers can be heard. There are muffled sounds of bodies gently colliding, and from time to time, one can catch a glimpse of white limbs unexpectedly protruding from some peculiar angle, suspended in mid-air and trembling. The bright red nail polish on their fingers glimmers under the light, accompanied by spasmodic cries and gasps.

Have you had enough fun

The woman's heart-wrenching cries were abruptly silenced midway, as a group of expressionless individuals casually waved their hands, covering her mouth and roughly shoving her into the vehicle

Before the words had left his mouth, a flash of dark light appeared, followed by a whoosh as the blue cloth curtain was torn apart like a wave by the hurricane, exploding into two halves. The fierce wind howled past, striking the small body on the bed, causing it to bounce up and then fall heavily back down. A half piece of blue cloth gently descended, covering his face.

Oh dear. The man exclaimed softly, yet he did not let go, tremblingly whispering in his wife's ear, "Shuiniang, temper your stubbornness... the royal family is not our household... you are defying the imperial decree... defying the decree could implicate nine generations, Shuiniang!"

After a while, Rong Chu stood up. The man in the light robe and loose belt took a few slow steps toward the southern window, leaned against the window railing, and gazed into the distance.

Tai Shi Lan did not move

The people outside have already become angry

Tai Shi Lan took out a white silk pouch, weighing it in the palm of his hand. It contained treasures gathered from the riverbank, but currently, it was not a good time to make a move.

Is it hard to part with? Then let me help you conclude it

Had a wild time

"Anzhou is very nice, I will stay for a while longer." The person who is about to be unable to marry shows no signs of distress, casually blowing on his nails, "Let Li Fuzhou go." After a moment's thought, he added, "Tell Old Sun that I am very sad."

To cultivate the art of maintaining youth through the essence of beauty

Let us first find something to eat. It is late at night, and the restaurants have already closed. Tai Shilan, accustomed to late-night snacks, felt her stomach rumble with hunger. She chose a grand residence with heavy eaves and bracketed roofs, climbing up to a wall near the chimney. She reasoned that wealthy households must have late-night snacks prepared at midnight.

Nonsense, it is all nonsense