Chapter 39. Luoyang (Part 3)

Luoyang (Part 3)

I looked at those women, remaining silent, only feeling a cold splash of water on my head.
"Furen?" the steward inquired, looking at me with concern.
"Where has the newcomer in the mansion been placed?" I asked.
The steward replied, "In the past, when ZhuGong was in Luoyang, Wu Furen was in charge. If the new maid has not been assigned yet, she will be accommodated in the rooms of the northern courtyard. As for the JiQie, they will be allocated to the available courtyards separately."
I understand. Since these women were sent here and there was no specific instruction from Wei Tan, they will naturally be treated as maidservants. However, these women are all dressed up and appear delicate, which clearly indicates that they are not here to serve as maidservants. If the steward were to assign them to the northern courtyard, it might offend them. Treating them as concubines, on the other hand, might offend me.
I was originally unhappy, but at this moment, my thoughts took a different turn.
"If there are larger vacant courtyards available, then go ahead and accommodate them there," I said to the steward with a virtuous smile, choosing my words carefully.
The steward acknowledged and instructed someone to lead the women away.
******
As Ah Yuan pushed open the door, a faint scent of alcohol wafted in.
"Go and fetch some sobering soup," I said to Ah Yuan.
Ah Yuan yuan nodded and walked away. I entered the room and closed the door behind me.
On the bed in the inner chamber, Wei Tan lay on his back, motionless, still wearing his outer robe.
Facing a person who slept like a dead pig, I had nowhere to vent my frustrations. Was he doing this intentionally? Was he trying to take revenge against me, leaving me speechless? Or was he testing whether I was virtuous and patient enough to handle such a situation?
I took a deep breath, allowing my emotions to calm down a bit.
Of course, I am virtuous. I refuse to be angered, and I won't stoop to competing for attention over a few women. Not only will I refrain from causing any trouble, but I will also provide those women with good food and drink. I will flatter Wei Tan every day, "Where will Fujun sleep tonight?". I will mention how pitiable and unmatched Cui Ji, the lady from the West Courtyard, appears, and how fortunate it would be to have the honor of serving him…
With these thoughts in mind, suddenly my fighting spirit was ignited.
That's right. I took another deep breath, clenched my fists.
But when I turned my head, I was startled.
Wei Tan had opened his eyes at some point and was staring at me from the bed.
"When Furen is alone, she has a thousand different expressions," Wei Tan smiled, his gaze alert and filled with amusement.
When Ah Yuan brought the sobering soup and saw Wei Tan sitting on the bed drinking tea, she paused for a moment, surprised.
"Place it on the table," I said.
Ah Yuan nodded and brought the soup forward, then exited the room and closed the door.
"Please have some sobering soup, Fujun," I said. Although he was pretending to be drunk, he had indeed consumed quite a bit of alcohol, and I could still detect the scent of it on him.
"No need," Wei Tan said, holding his tea cup. "Having the tea from you Furen is enough."
The words sounded pleasing, but I wasn't easily swayed by such flattery.
I smiled and replied, "Doesn't the wine from Zhou TaiShou's household suit Fujun's taste?"
Wei Tan raised an eyebrow as he looked at me. "Zhou TaiShou is generous, offering one cup of wine after another. If I hadn't pretended to be drunk, how could I have made my exit so early?"
I added more tea to his cup and said, "Since Zhou TaiShou's hospitality was meant in good faith, and since Fujun was never truly drunk, why not stay and enjoy the drinks?"
Wei Tan smiled slyly and said, "When Furen instructs me to return earlier, how could I dare not comply?"
I looked at him, momentarily at a loss for words.
I had to admit that this military man had some skill with words and knew how to turn my own words against me. I responded with a smile, "Indeed. Since Fujun we're pretending to be drunk, when return home, Fujun should first arrange for the beauties gifted by Zhou TaiShou."
Wei Tan replied calmly, "Those people were given to Furen, so it is up to Furen to arrange their placement."
"For me?" I was taken aback.
"Furen was already lacking attendants by your side. They can help with the manpower," Wei Tan explained.
Dare it be for my own good.
"Thanking Fujun for your consideration," I said warmly.
Wei Tan took a sip of tea and continued, "All the servants under my name will be allocated by Furen. If Furen doesn't wish to keep them, you are free to give them to others as well."
"Very well, Qie understands," I replied with a smile. However, in my heart, I thought to myself, how could I dare? It may be easy to give those women away to others, or even find a reason for the mistress of the house to have them punished to death, justifiably so. However, if I were to do that, especially in the eyes of my In-law's family, especially Wei Tan, my reputation for jealousy would be firmly established. Who knows what the future holds in store?
Wei Tan looked at me with a probing gaze, as if trying to understand something.
"Happy?" he asked after a while.
"Happy for?" I replied, keeping a poker face.
Weitan said, "I remember that at Fan TaiShou's residence, Furen was very displeased ."
I became alert. Fan Yue? I mentally recalled the past, wondering if I had displayed my feelings so blatantly back then.
"Qie has never expressed any dislike. Perhaps Fujun is mistaken?" I responded with a surprised expression.
"En?" Wei Tan furrowed his brow, appearing genuinely trying to recall. "But on that day, who pretended to be drunk and left the table, closing the door and retiring to bed alone before I returned?"
My face flushed with heat, and I hurriedly defended myself, "At that time, it wasn't that Qie was displeased…"
"I remember someone saw me return, a look of grievance is all over their face," Wei Tan continued, rubbing his chin. "They said something about still wanting to be husband and wife."
I grew even more embarrassed and glared at him, saying, "Who had a look of grievance on their face?!"
Wei Tan didn't answer but continued to look at me and started laughing. His laughter grew louder, and his shoulders shook with each burst of laughter.
I was genuinely annoyed and said, "Stop laughing!" I stood up from the bed.
Before I could fully stand up, Wei Tan suddenly reached out and pulled me towards him. Everything seemed to spin, and I found myself pressed down onto the bed by him.
"Let go of me!" I pushed him with all my strength.
"No," Wei Tan said, pressing his forehead against mine. His eyes were close, emanating a strange and clear light.
The scent of alcohol accompanied his words, heating up my face and neck. His body felt heavy, and his grip was strong. I felt an inexplicable sense of panic, embarrassment, and unease. I struggled for a few moments, but to my surprise, I couldn't move an inch.
"You... You're about to crush me to death!" I gasped, feeling the weight on my chest making it difficult to breathe.
Wei Tan remained unfazed, saying, "Still trying to hide?"
I quickly shook my head.
Only then did Wei Tan move his body away.
Feeling suddenly relieved, I turned to the side and took deep breaths. However, Wei Tan still didn't let go. He held me in his arms, his chest pressed against my back.
I stopped struggling. I knew I couldn't win against this military man anyway.
The room was quiet, and I faintly heard the nightingale's sound coming from the courtyard.
After a while, Wei Tan suddenly whispered softly, "I was about to leave when Zhou TaiShou sent those women over. I was pretending to be drunk, so I couldn't refuse them directly."
I didn't expect him to bring it up again suddenly. After a moment, I replied, "En."
Wei Tan's arm tightened slightly, and the warm breath from his breathing tickled my ear, causing a tingling sensation on my skin. "Didn't believe it?" he asked.
"Qie would never doubt what Fujun says..." I began to say, but I couldn't continue as something felt off. Wei Tan's hand ventured into my clothing, restlessly exploring.
"Ah Jin," his voice was low, lacking the earlier slyness or playfulness, now infused with a certain craving and desire. "How about we continue what we left unfinished that night?"
My heart skipped a beat.
Wei Tan didn't wait for my answer. His kisses and bites traced along my neck, while his hands loosened my clothing. My heart was racing uncontrollably as he was about to overpower me once again. However, I suddenly grabbed his hand that was exploring beneath my garments, broke free from his embrace, and sat up.
Wei Tan looked at me with surprise, the remnants of passion still flickering in his dark eyes.
"Fujun..." I could barely meet his gaze, my face flushed with embarrassment, my throat tightening. "Since Fujun returned today, you haven't bathed yet."
Wei Tan continued to gaze at me, the collar of his outer robe having loosened at some point, his Adam's apple moving subtly.
"Will it suffice if I bathe first?" he suddenly chuckled.
I bit my lip, feeling his gaze burning into me, heating my face as if it were about to cook.
"En," I replied.
Without another word, Wei Tan swiftly got up. Before I could lift my head, he had disappeared like the wind, leaving through the door.
******
As I sat alone in the room, I remained on the bed, absent-mindedly stroking my chest.
My heart was still pounding, as if beating a drum.
Bathing? I couldn't help but find my previous reason laughable.
I admit I acted quite weakly. Back in Yongdu, I had deliberately enticed him in every possible way, yet just now, I unexpectedly felt nervous.
Was I not ready? Perhaps. I had carried a lot of frustration with me when I first entered the room.
You are husband and wife, after all. If you don't want to, there are five other young women in the courtyard who would gladly oblige. A voice in my mind whispered.
That's right!
I stood up, took a deep breath, and walked towards the inner chamber. But as soon as I saw the large bed, large enough for three or four people to lie side by side, my newly found courage faltered.
I heard it can be very painful.
I covered my face, beginning to contemplate in a rather cowardly manner whether I could still make it to San Yimu or Jiumu house to seek refuge…
*****
In the end, I remained calm. By the time Wei Tan entered the room, I had already taken off my outer garments, let my hair down, and sat on the bed in an undergarment made of silk.
Wei Tan looked at me, his face showing a mixture of surprise and amusement.
Feeling his gaze burning into me, my face turned even redder, and I was about to get up.
"Don't move," Wei Tan held onto my shoulders. He stood in front of me, his tall figure blocking the candlelight.
His gaze was fixed on my face, and his fingers reached out, gently brushing away the hair beside my cheek, tucking it behind my ear.
"On our wedding night, you looked at me the same way," he said, his voice low and gentle, filled with reminiscence. A smile played at the corner of his lips.
I had long forgotten how our wedding night unfolded. I remained silent, feeling the stillness around me, with only the clear sound of my heartbeat echoing in my ears. Thump, thump, thump…
Wei Tan took hold of my hand, my fingertips enveloped in his thick and warm palm.
"So cold," he raised an eyebrow, "Afraid?"
Who's afraid? I was about to retort, but as I met his gaze, the words suddenly escaped me. That familiar feeling returned, a sense of danger, like being the prey stared at by a wild beast. Yet, I had no desire to escape. I watched as he leaned towards me, enveloping me in his embrace.
"Don't be afraid," he whispered softly.
The scent of freshly bathed skin was unfamiliar but clean.
He kissed me, starting from my earlobe, then moving to my cheeks, and finally to my lips.
I wanted to close my eyes, but I couldn't bring myself to do so.
In the past, Pei Qian and I had shared many intimate moments. When we were alone, he would hold me and kiss me. Since we had to be cautious and on guard for the possibility of someone discovering us, both he and I felt shy. His kisses were gentle and slow, as if savoring the moment. There were also moments of passion when he became more eager, biting my lips and slipping his hands under my clothes. I could feel his reactions... Those encounters always ended with both of us blushing, teasing each other about being lovers of passion.
As for my later husband, Han Guang, his kisses were more reminiscent of a child's, with a playful smacking sound, lacking the seductive undertones of teasing.
Wei Tan's kisses were different from theirs. There was a sense of dominance in his actions. When he tangled his lips with mine, I could feel his intense desire.
He laid me down on the bed, undoing the fastenings of my skirt and loosening the neckline of my garment. As my chest was exposed to the candlelight, a slight tingling sensation coursed through my skin, caused by the sudden chill of the night.
He removed his clothing, his hands resting on my shoulders as he positioned himself above me. The flickering candlelight cast a rosy glow, and his gaze was intense, filled with desire.
I unconsciously swallowed, and suddenly remembered what I had seen in Ruochan's private quarters. I reached out my hand, placing it on Wei Tan's chest, allowing my hand to wander for a moment before slowly gliding downwards.
I must admit that the touch of Wei Tan's skin was incredibly pleasing, firm yet delicate. From his strong waist and abdomen, the muscular lines disappeared into the shadows where our bodies met.
"Is it pleasing to the eye?" Wei Tan's lips curved into a smile as his hand threaded through my hair. The rise and fall of his Adam's apple and chest with each breath were unexpectedly enticing.
I didn't have his boldness, and I couldn't bear his unabashed gaze. Blushing, I said, "Fujun.. let's put off the lights."
"Why?" Wei Tan looked puzzled.
I glared at him with annoyance.
He chuckled softly and got up, blowing out the nearby lamp in one breath.
As darkness enveloped us, Wei Tan embraced me once again, pressing me against the bed. His kisses grew more intense, ranging from my lips to my neck and then down to my chest.
In the darkness, I couldn't see clearly, but the sensations became even more pronounced. His hands were warm, and the calloused palm ventured between my legs, while his hardened arousal pressed against me. It felt uncomfortable, yet my heart was in turmoil.
As his lips and tongue lingered on my sensitive areas, a strange tingling sensation coursed through my body. I tightly gripped his arm, feeling overwhelmed with sensations. After a while, unable to contain myself, I couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"En… don't, don't bite there..." I squirmed and used my hand to push his face away. "....You... Hihi..... Hahaha!"
Wei Tan's focus was finally disturbed by me, and he lifted his head up.
"Don't laugh," he said, his legs still pressing against me, his voice tinged with annoyance.
I tried to close my mouth, but I couldn't hold it in. I stifle my laughter, feeling my cheeks ache from the effort.
Wei Tan took a deep breath, somewhat resigned. "You don't like it when I do this?"
I struggled to explain, "It's not... um, it tickles…"
There was a brief moment of silence from Wei Tan before he said in a hoarse voice, "Then I'll move down."
I was momentarily confused, wondering what he meant by "move down," but before I could process it, Wei Tan had already lifted one of my legs.
Suddenly, it felt as if a blunt object had penetrated me, and a wave of intense pain washed over me.
"Ah!" I tensed up, letting out a loud cry.
Wei Tan halted, his voice filled with confusion. "Is it painful?"
Feeling extremely uncomfortable and desperate, I pushed him away. "You… Fujun, go out..."
But Wei Tan chuckled softly, saying, "I'll go slower, hmm?"
"I don't want slower!" I exclaimed hurriedly, struggling to get up. But Wei Tan's strength was formidable, as he grabbed my arm and pressed it down above my head.
"Ah..." The pain surged once again, and I began to cry out, but before I could finish my cry, it turned into a whimper, as my voice was stifled by his lips.
The dull pain persisted, each wave feeling as if it would grind my body to pieces.
In my mind, all that remained were the words of curses directed at him: warrior, lecher, scoundrel!