Daughter-in-law of a Noble House

Red Peony

The Qionghua Temple was built on a hillside halfway up the West Mountain, surrounded by dense forest. When Ruochan opened a small door in the courtyard wall, I discovered a beautiful place that seemed like a secret paradise behind it. 

Less than a hundred steps away from Qionghua Temple, the road on the mountain took a turn, and a small house was hidden in the shade of the woods. 

Its wall was white and exquisite, and at the first glance it looked like a newly built residence. 

“This is..?” I looked at Ruochan, but she put her finger in front of her lips, as she pulled me and pushed open the side door before walking in. 

The house was very quiet. A red peony tree was growing tall in the middle of the courtyard, its branches blossoming with delicate red flowers. Ruochan seemed to be very familiar with this courtyard as she led me down a corridor. 

“ZhuRen.” an old woman hurried to bow in welcome when she saw us coming. 

Ruochan asked her in a low voice, “Has the guest arrived?”

“Has arrived.” said the old woman. 

Ruochan nodded and said nothing as she continued to walk over towards the house.

The newly built house was very clean, and the moss had not had enough time to creep up the corners of the wall and floor. Ruochan gently pushed open a finely carved wooden door, but it made no sounds at all. An aroma came, it was not mild nor greasy, but pleasant and sweet. I sniffed and it smelt like sandalwood, but I also felt like it was not. 

I gave Ruochan an inquiring look, but she still smiled and just led me forward. 

We entered  a room that was small but still luxurious. It was closed off from the outside, and when the door was shut, it was so quiet that it seemed like one had entered another world. 

The silk carpet on the floor was soft and thick, and my feet did not make a sound when I stepped on it. Soft muslin curtains of red colour were hanging down from the beams, and the ambiance looked indistinct and mysterious in the darkness. 

Upon reaching the last curtains, Ruochan motioned for me to stop. 

At this time, I heard some strange sound, as if someone was muttering a whisper. A strange feeling swept past my heart. The next moment, Ruochan gently lifted the curtain, revealing a small window draped in a beaded screen. 

As I looked through and beyond the beaded screen, my eyes widened in shock. 

In front, was a spacious bedroom with delicate furnishing. Red canopies were hanging low, and a golden fire pot was emitting a sweet-smelling incense. At the centre, was a large bed covered with red brocade. On it, a woman with half of her clothes taken off was being embraced by a middle aged man.  

The woman was holding a wine cup in her hand. She raised her head and drank a mouthful of it, and then, moved her lips close to the man. As a few wine drops tickled down the man’s beard, he savoured it by smacking his lips with a slurping sound. The man seemed to be enjoying himself very much, as he tore off the woman’s clothes in one quick movement, and he opened his mouth to suck her erect and soft breast.

“Ah….” The woman gasped softly, and I could not help but turn away as my face burned. 

However, Ruochan grabbed me by my chin and would not let me move. 

“Don’t you want to know what a man likes?” She said in a light voice, “Why? Scared?”

As her breath brushed my ear, I shuddered at the tingling sensation and reverted to look through the window again. 

The man’s face was flushed red, and he was in high spirits. He held the woman in his lap, squeezed and rubbed her body with both hands, causing her to laugh. She pushed the man away, and whispered, “Langjun is still full of clothes, allow Qie to undress Langjun…” As She spoke, she stepped down and knelt in front of the man. 

Her body did not have a single strand of thread, and her skin was snowy white as her body was plump, and she had a flattering smile on her beautiful face. Her skilled hands were flexible as if it was boneless. As she was undressing the man, she lowered her head to kiss her way down his stout body. 

The man exhaled a deep breath. 

“The favour of a beautiful woman is indeed a thousand gold….” He said in a laugh, and after that, he yanked the woman up onto the bed, turned over, and pressed her down. 

I saw him expose something thick and hard between his crotch. With one hand, he held up the woman’s leg, and with the other, he drove it straight into her. 

I was so ashamed that I rushed to cover my eyes with my hands. 

The woman’s moans reached my ears, in waves of pain and joy, one after another. I did not understand what the man was saying, his hoarse voice was thick and muddy with ecstasy. 

I could not help but parted my fingers slightly, and saw the two naked bodies intertwined. The vivid image of their figures on the bright red brocade mattress was seductive with its erotic appeal. 

The heat creeping up my face and neck was unbearable, my throat was dry, and something seemed to be urging from the depth of my body. It had been dormant for a long time but was striking awake again. I felt a soft rubbing sensation creep up my shoulders, making me bizarrely weak in my legs…. Startled, I twisted back but saw that it was actually Ruochan. 

She looked at me, her eyes up close, with a half-smile. 

I was a little spooked for a moment, swatted her hand away from my shoulder, turned around and ran away from the room. 

Pushing open the door, a gust of cool breeze greeted my face. I ran into the courtyard, as the sun was shining above my head and the red peony was swayed by the wind. 

My thoughts were slowly cleared from the turbidity. I breathed deeply, and for a moment, the strange feelings gradually faded away. 

A chuckle came from behind me. I turned around and saw that Ruochan had followed me out of the room.

"Feeling better?" She asked.

"What kind of incense was burning in that room?" I asked. 

Ruochan showed an astounded expression, and her smile became deeper. "It's a 'love fragrance' that I secretly manufactured. Ah Jin, do you want to take some home?" 

It was as I had guessed. I took another long breath to calm down the heat in my body. 

This house belonged to Ruochan. The Qionghua Temple was a remote area, thus it was difficult to maintain it. One year ago, Ruochan donated a large amount of money to the temple, under the condition that she “borrowed” the neglected forest at its back to build a separate annex.

Unlike Chang'an, Yongzhou was a small region. Other than at banquets and outings, there were few areas where the high officials and noblemen could gather. Ruochan built this mansion in a remote area with a plan to provide a secret haven where these noble men could satisfy their selfish desires. They could be entertained without any inhibitions or fear of being exposed to the eyes of the public.

"Unexpectedly, other than the the brothel, you also run a prostitution house" I said with a hint of sarcasm. 

"This world is in a difficult time, and it is only to support one's life." Ruochan was unconcerned. After a while, she said, "But don't worry, I have sent people to invite Da GongZi several times, but he had never given me the honour (to come)."

"Oh?" I looked at her, "Who else have you invited beside him?"

Ruochan smiled a light and breezy smile, "No comment."

******

By the time I arrived at the Wei Residence by the carriage, it was already past afternoon. After seeing Guo Furen, I bathed and changed my clothes, before laying down on the bed to fall asleep.

During dinner time, Wei Tan came back. 

Maybe it was because this was the 15th day of the month, for today's dinner, everyone was gathered at the main hall. Besides Wei Jue, Wei Tan, and Wei Zhao, Wei Ci and the other nephews were also present. The main hall was bustling with noise and excitement, it was just like the day their troops returned. 

During the day, Wei Jue entered the Imperial Palace to meet the Emperor, just as a messenger came from the Western Region, who had presented a Ferghana horse to the Emperor. When the Emperor saw Wei Zhao at the side, he said that he had heard for a long time that the Second Son of the Prime Minister had a talent in poetry, and was willing to listen. Wei Zhao accepted the order, and after thinking for a while, he wrote a poem with remarkable speed, shocking everyone in the Palace hall.

Maybe this was the reason why Wei Jue was in a very good mood during the banquet, and likewise, Guo Furen could not stop smiling. While chatting, Wei Jue heard that I went to worship today, so he asked me which temple I went to. 

I had already thought about excuses long ago, and replied that I heard that for the worship of the 15th day, the XiShan Qionghua Temple was the most effective, so I went to the Qionghua Temple. 

"Oh?" Wei Jue smiled and said, "Qionghua Temple, this name is unexpectedly unfamiliar." 

I said, "Today, when Er Fu went there, one saw that this Qionghua Temple is located in a remote place, thus it can be assumed that not many people know about it." 

Wei Jue nodded, and soon, he moved on to discuss with others about other things. 

My palms were somewhat sweaty. I didn't know that Wei Jue would be back for tonight's banquet, and I was even more unsure on how much he knew about Qionghua Temple's secret. But looking at the situation just now, he didn't seem to have any ideas about it. 

As I sighed a breath of relief, I suddenly caught the gaze of Wei Tan who was next to me. He looked at me, with calm but unreadable eyes. 

My heart, which had just relaxed, began racing again. At the same time, the incident at the Qionghua Temple suddenly popped into my mind, as the back of my ears felt hot.

"Does Fujun want to drink wine?" I picked up a wine pot on the table.

"En." Wei Tan said. 

I started to pour wine into the cup in front of him.

"Tonight," As my heart drummed in my chest, I asked, "Will Fujun still be going out?" 

"Not going." Wei Tan said indifferently. 

My hand paused, and a few drops of wine spilled from the spout.

*****

The moon was half hidden in the clouds, and the night wind was a bit strong, causing the lanterns under the corridor to sway.

Wei Tan was sweaty from being outside, so when we returned to our courtyard, he went to take a bath.

Once again, I sat in front of the mirror staring at my own reflection, my heart was at a loss. 

There was no sound in the room, and everything in the mirror was wrapped in a half-dark, half-bright halo of light, I couldn't help but get lost in thought. Everything that happened on the red brocade bed all gathered in my mind, and I can't get it off.  Their moans, as well as their intertwined naked body…. I started to feel my heartbeat speeding up as my ears warmed up again. I suspected that a hint of the ‘love fragrance’ was still lingering in my body.

‘You are an adult! You are already 20 years old!’ A voice in my heart encouraged me. 

That’s right, I am 20 years old. Wei Ping’s wife, Zhou Shi gave birth to her child at the age of 16. Yet here I was, at the age of 20, still worrying about the matter of the first night in bed….

With my mind being at sixes and sevens, I closed my eyes and shook my head. 

I am twenty years old, more sensible, more courageous, and the matters of husband and wife were the norm of human relationships. For instance, Wei Tan and I will lie in bed for a moment, and he will press me under him like the man from the morning, and then…..

Suddenly, the face of the woman in my mind was replaced with mine, causing my heart to skip a beat. 

The affair between men and women was just four words to me. I vaguely knew what they had to do, but I did not understand completely. But from what I saw today, all of a sudden it was clear to me that it was an extremely intimate matter, more so than any of the times I was with Pei Qian in the past. 

The saying that “ignorance is a bliss” could never be more perfect for me. I firmly believe that when we get to the mountain, there will be a way through, and  when the boat gets to the pier-head, it will go straight with the current. Whether it was entering the door of the Wei Clan or looking for Li Shang to carry out business, it all relied partly on my experience, and partly on my willpower. It was the same in this case as well. After I had peeped at the completed picture of this matter and now knew what will happen, I will start to weigh in my mind, and ask myself this and that, and I will let myself indulge in flights of fancy.....

The sound of an opening door clanged out, interrupting my thoughts. Upon turning around, Wei Tan walked in, wearing a single unlined robe. 

The smell of the night breeze seeped in, and it seemed to have some warmth in it. He went to the clothes rack, took down a towel, and wiped the remaining moisture from his neck….

“What is it?” Wei Tan suddenly turned to look at me and said.

“En?” I was flabbergasted. 

“Furen has been looking at Weifu again.” Wei Tan’s dark eyes glanced at me, a little mischievous. 

Embarrassed, I hastened to refute his claim, “I am not….”

“If Furen is willing, why don’t you come and tie Weifu’s hair?” Wei Tan interrupted smoothly and pointed at his head. “It’s loose.”

I found that Wei Tan's hair was actually in good condition. Even though he was a man, it was moderately soft and firm, and it felt somewhat smooth if it was held by the hands. His hairline, which was naturally clear, didn't need much fixing and styling. 

I had always been afraid of pain whenever I was brushing my hair, so I had been brushing with slow and gentle pressure. When I encountered a knot, I used my finger to unclog it slowly. Wei Tan didn't seem to dislike my dilatory at all, just quietly sat on the couch with his back facing me, without knowing how his expression was. 

The lamps rippled with orange light. He had just taken a bath, and his body emitted a faint smell. One was unable to say what smell it resembled, it was an unfamiliar yet clean smell.

I lowered my head and saw a section of Wei Tan's neck under his collar. The wheat-coloured skin, at first glance, one could know that he spent most of his time in the year outside. But under the candlelight, it had a different texture. Recalling the image of Wei Tan's chest and abdomen when he had taken off the robe, I realised that it was the same colour. If I touched it, would it be firm and smooth......

In my heart, I thought shyly, compared to the man from today, would I like this thing more?

“Who told you that the QiongHua Temple is the most auspicious?” Wei Tan interrupted my thoughts with an abrupt question.

"En?" I was stunned, but improvised a story, “Oh, I heard it from a few of the noblewomen at Lu Gong's residence a few days ago.”

"So it was like that." Wei Tan's voice was calm. 

"Has Fujun ever been there?" I asked. 

"Never." 

I tried to be bold and continued, "The hibiscus flowers there are blooming well."

"Oh?" Wei Tan said slowly, "Someone told me the same a few days ago and invited me over to enjoy the flowers."

The comb in my hand nearly fell off. 

"One heard there are also red peonies there." Wei Tan continued chatting, like a small idle talk, "Furen had gone to see them, are there really red peonies?" 

My heart almost jumped out of my throat. 

"There are a lot of hibiscus, but no red peonies." I said, almost whispering. 

If Wei Tan turned his head at this moment, he would see my face that resembled someone suffering a paralysing stroke. 

The wild thoughts in my head were smashed to the bone. With luck, he stopped his interrogation, allowing me to bind his hair and tie it into a neat bun atop his head.

"En? Is it done?" Just as I was about to say that I was done, Wei Tan turned his head and gave an astounded look. 

"It's done." I said calmly. 

Wei Tan looked in the mirror in front, and curved his lips, "Not bad."

I also smiled and was about to go to the bed when suddenly Wei Tan wrapped his arms around me and hugged me to his front. 

The flame from the beak of the crane-shaped lamp shined on Wei Tan's face, which was half-dark and mysterious. 

His face was so close to mine that our breaths seemed to mix, my chest was pressed against his, leaving my mind blank.

"Why is Furen in such a hurry?" His voice was dipped, low and slow, as elusive as the look on his face. 

I looked at those swarthy eyes, which clearly flashed a certain expression, fiery, longing or perhaps suppression….. An image of the entangled body suddenly appeared in my mind. 

My heart pounded violently, and my mouth and tongue were dry.

He opened his mouth slightly, his eyes were hidden under the shadow of his brow bone and black eyelashes. "The day after tomorrow, I will go to Qingzhou."