Chapter 30 - Sleeping Together

  Later that evening, Qingzhu entered carrying a candle. She quietly tugged at Song Chaoxi’s sleeve and asked, “Miss, you’re the Duke’s wife. By rights, you should help him wash up. Why don’t you go in and ask?”

  Song Chaoxi didn’t want to ask. She had already talked plenty today just to make their first meeting less awkward—no need to invite more trouble. Besides, she and the Duke weren’t an ordinary couple. If she suddenly offered to help with his nightly routine, it might make her seem too eager. The Duke just had to tap his fingers and Liang Shiyi would come to serve him. He clearly didn’t need her.

  Why not just enjoy her own bath in peace?

  “Is the water ready?”

  “It is. I added some rose petals from your dowry. These roses are great for soaking—they made the whole room fragrant. Dong’er even said it smells better than perfume.”

  Song Chaoxi smiled. The bath items her cousin had sent were all top-quality. When she lived in Yangzhou, this kind of setup was just standard. Only after coming to the Marquis’s residence did she feel wronged, stuck in that little courtyard. These roses weren’t just good for baths—they could also be used on the hair, leaving it fragrant for days.

  While she soaked, Qingzhu brought her the dowry list for review.

  When it came to dowries, not all items were created equal. A common family might count bnkets or clothes as a “set.” But her cousins were generous—every chest was filled with valuable goods. There was a whole stack of silver notes, plus over a dozen storefronts in prime locations throughout the capital. Beyond the gold and jewels, there was also a rge amount of perfume and spices. Song Chaoxi flipped through it and instructed:

  “Send some of these spices to the Old Madam.”

  Though they seemed ordinary, these spices were worth a fortune. It was a subtle yet respectful gesture.

  Qingzhu made a note.

  As she soaked, Song Chaoxi suddenly remembered a problem and grew anxious.

  She had been sleeping next to Rong Jing when he was unconscious—that felt normal. But now that he was awake… what was she supposed to do tonight?

  She couldn’t wear a dudou (traditional undergarment) anymore and had to settle for proper sleepwear. She was used to sleeping nude—she had only worn the dudou before as a compromise. These long-sleeved, full-length undergarments felt suffocating. Still, since she was sharing a bed with the Duke, she had to dress more conservatively.

  After all, she was a refined and dignified person.

  Finishing her internal pep talk, she walked into the bedroom with her hair down. Rong Jing had already washed up and was sitting on the bed reading a letter. From her angle, she could see his defined lips and straight nose, his noble and elegant air. Perhaps it was due to his focus, but he seemed calm and collected.

  He clearly looked young, but his strong presence made people afraid to act casually. Suddenly, she understood why all the younger retives who visited today had kept their heads bowed, even the lively Rong Yuan—who had stood meekly with her hands at her sides.

  The candlelight flickered. The keside cottage was quiet at night, filled only with the sounds of insects and the occasional spsh of a fish jumping out of the water.

  He looked up at her—and that single gnce made her feel even more awkward.

  She stayed calm, walked a few steps forward, and stood by the candlelight, fingers twisting her still-damp hair. “On the day of our wedding, Mother sent me here. I’ve been living here since. If Your Grace finds it inconvenient to share a room with me, once you’re better, I can move to another courtyard.”

  Rong Jing didn’t say anything. He just held the letter in his hand, slowly resting his knees. Song Chaoxi climbed onto the bed, moving with grace and propriety. The bed was rge, and although they sat at the same end, there was a wide space between them. It felt safe—like their lives wouldn’t interfere with each other.

  The silence made their emotions louder. Neither of them spoke, as if waiting to see who would break first. Since he didn’t seem awkward, then she wouldn’t be either. If there were ever a contest for silent couples, the two of them would surely win first pce. Thinking that, she realized they weren’t entirely without strengths as a couple.

  Unable to sleep and not interested in reading, Song Chaoxi got up and drew the bed curtains. But it got so dark that it affected his reading, so she reached to lift them again.

  “It’s fine,” Rong Jing suddenly said, putting down the letter.

  Since the old man had spoken, the younger one couldn’t lose—she needed to find something to say. She noticed the letter's seal was quite unique, and the paper wasn’t something commonly found. She stared at it for a moment. Rong Jing noticed and asked, “Want to read it?”

  Song Chaoxi shook her head. Was he joking? They weren’t at the stage where they could read each other’s letters.

  “I just thought the seal looked nice.”

  It was leaf-green with auspicious cloud patterns—not even the famous Rong Bao Zhai of the capital had something like that.

  Rong Jing paused. “It’s a letter from the Emperor. Nothing much—just some idle talk.”

  There wasn’t anything sensitive in it; it was ghostwritten by the Prime Minister anyway, and not considered confidential.

  He knew she wouldn’t ask to read it—it was just a casual remark. In fact, a few lines in the letter involved her, which was why he’d been feeling conflicted. It said that the physician Song (Song Chaoxi) had told Zhang Huan, “His wife has a beauty that puts fish to shame, eclipses the moon, with brows like green feathers, skin like snow, a waist like a willow, and teeth like pearls.” The Emperor had asked if he was satisfied with such a wife, and what kind of woman he actually liked. If he wasn’t happy with someone like that, then the Emperor had no idea how to help him.

  Rong Jing gnced at her again. Song Chaoxi was sitting there seriously and composed. He couldn’t picture her saying those words to Zhang Huan at all.

  He called in Liang Shiyi and handed the letter out through the curtain’s opening. Liang Shiyi burned it on the spot.

  The door closed again, and the room returned to silence. Song Chaoxi tapped her fingers on the brocade quilt with bamboo cloud embroidery and decided not to keep making awkward conversation. Better to sleep than deal with an old man’s moods.

  She called Qingzhu in to blow out the candles, leaving only a gilded pace ntern. The room dimmed at once.

  The darkness amplified everything. Song Chaoxi could clearly hear her own breathing. She was lying uncomfortably, so she turned over. Then turned back. Normally she never noticed the bed creaking, but tonight, every little movement made a noise.

  Eventually, she stopped moving entirely and closed her eyes, trying to lull herself to sleep.

  She wanted to take a piece of fairy grass to help, but with Rong Jing nearby, it wasn’t convenient.

  Man and woman alone in one room… could something happen? What if he pounced like a hungry wolf? They were already legally married—if it happened, there’d be no justice to seek. And even if she wanted to resist, she wasn’t stronger than him. Better to go along with it, then flip the script and pin him down afterward. That way, they’d be even and no one would be taking advantage.

  With that thought, she fell asleep peacefully.

  Actually, Rong Jing wasn’t feeling very calm either.

  Her hair had only been half-dried. When she turned over, the faint rose scent would waft toward him. The smell was light but persistent, constantly reminding him there was someone else on the bed. He hadn’t shared a bed in years and wasn’t used to it. His sharp hearing made it worse—her every breath seemed to echo in his ears.

  After a while, her breathing evened out, and Rong Jing finally turned to look at her.

  In the dim light, her nose looked delicate and sculpted, lips rosy and soft, skin pale and translucent with a natural blush on her cheeks, as if she'd applied rouge. She was stunning even without makeup.

  Although he had shown no emotion on the surface today, there was a ripple in his heart. After all, he had a wife now. It was impossible to feel nothing at all.

  Even now, with her trying to minimize her presence, her mere existence was changing his habits.

  Like how he never used to sleep with a light on.

  He hadn’t paid much attention to the people around him in years, and he wasn’t good at caring for women. The age gap between them was a barrier, yet she didn’t seem to mind at all. Her nature was unexpectedly open-minded.

  As dawn light filtered in from outside the screen, Song Chaoxi woke up from her dreams. She opened her eyes and found herself face-to-face with a man’s enrged face. She gasped—then remembered she was married now.

  Then she realized something wasn’t right—what kind of position was she sleeping in? Her calf was draped over Rong Jing’s body, her hand was clutching his white silk sleepwear, and, even more embarrassingly, there was a small wet spot on his clothes. That had to be her drool.

  She really shouldn’t have let her guard down.

  Song Chaoxi, truly impressive—you actually drooled on the Duke of Rong. Incredible.

  She froze only for a moment, then pushed herself up with one arm, tilting her head to look at him. Her soft hair fell down over her shoulder, making her look even more stunning.

  She pursed her lips and gave a gentle smile. “Your Grace, you’re awake?”

  Let’s see if you still remember the drooling when I’m looking this beautiful.

  Rong Jing responded with a simple “Mm,” but his eyes were surprisingly clear. Song Chaoxi then betedly realized—he’d probably been awake for a while, but her position had made it inconvenient for him to wake her. So he had just waited until she woke up on her own.

  She felt somewhat grateful. Sleep was sacred to her—anyone who disturbed her while sleeping was practically an enemy.

  The morning ke breeze was mild and cool, and the sunlight shimmered on the water’s surface. Song Chaoxi absolutely loved this keside cottage—she loved it in spring, in winter, at dawn, at dusk. The scenery here was unparalleled. If Rong Jing didn’t want to live with her, she sincerely hoped he would be the one to move out. She would be perfectly happy living here alone.

  “Your Grace, was this keside cottage a gift from the Emperor?”

  Rong Jing’s expression turned slightly odd. He replied, “Yes, it was a gift. He knew I loved this ke, so after he ascended the throne, he gave me the ke and the surrounding nd. This is the closest natural ke to the pace. Even the Emperor himself comes here occasionally to rex.”

  Song Chaoxi was genuinely surprised. With such a beautiful pce, the Emperor hadn’t kept it for himself but had instead given it to Rong Jing—it showed just how close their retionship was. People often said that those in power grew suspicious and cold, but clearly, this Emperor was different.

  “The scenery here is like a painting,” she said.

  Since she didn’t want him getting out of bed yet, Rong Jing simply sat on the edge of it, holding a poetry collection in one hand, his eyes lowered as if reading. But his thoughts were elsewhere—on the past. He and the Emperor had been childhood friends. This pce had once been a royal garden. On major festivals, the te Emperor would open the gardens to the public. The garden wasn’t known for much, except for its peach trees. Every year, when the peaches ripened, no one harvested them, and they would rot on the ground.

  He and the Emperor had once snuck in at night and picked bags of peaches to take back and drink wine with. When they got drunk, the Emperor had ughed and said that if he ever became ruler, he’d give this pce to Rong Jing. It had just been a joke in their youth. But because Rong Jing had helped him ascend the throne, it became the first promise the Emperor fulfilled after his coronation. And Rong Jing had lived here ever since.

  Meanwhile, Song Chaoxi went upstairs to change. She wore a peach-pink long jacket with a subtle floral print, under which was a pale moon-white bust wrap with embroidered flowers and a light orange pleated skirt. Qingzhu helped comb her hair and adorned it with a ruby-studded phoenix hairpin with tassels, along with matching earrings.

  In the capital, after the return to the bride’s family, it was no longer necessary to wear red every day. Song Chaoxi had grown tired of seeing red tely and wanted a change to lighter colors.

  While helping her tie the waist ribbons, Dong’er couldn’t help gncing at her chest and blushing. Today’s bust wrap was a new design from Liuli Pavilion—not as conservative as usual. It accentuated her curves clearly, and even the outer long jacket couldn’t fully hide the allure. With skin like creamy jade, Song Chaoxi’s beauty was almost overwhelming.

  Last night, Qingzhu had warned her to keep her ears open in case the Duke and the young mistress consummated their marriage and needed help. But since both had gone to bed early, Dong’er now couldn’t help thinking: the Duke was truly extraordinary! His self-restraint was beyond compare! With a woman like their young mistress beside him, and he still didn’t act? That was godlike control.

  If it were her, she definitely couldn’t resist—she’d have dragged the young mistress straight into bed. Sigh… older men really didn’t know how to enjoy themselves.

  Song Chaoxi walked for a while before arriving at the Old Madam’s courtyard. The Old Madam had been waiting for her and smiled joyfully upon seeing her. “Good child, how is the Duke doing?”

  Song Chaoxi gave her a graceful salute, then replied warmly, “The Duke is doing very well. He looked even better this morning than yesterday. I believe in another day or two, he’ll be well enough to come greet Mother personally.”

  The Old Madam was naturally delighted. Most people had some lingering effects after waking from a coma, but Rong Jing had none. She grew more satisfied with Song Chaoxi—this daughter-in-w was clearly the right choice. Not only was she beautiful, graceful, and skilled in medicine, but she also seemed to bring good fortune. The moment she married in, Rong Jing woke up—if that wasn’t luck, then what was?

  When Gao shi entered and saw that Song Chaoxi had arrived first, her expression shifted slightly. It didn’t look good that her own eldest daughter-in-w came ter than the newlywed. She was a bit annoyed that Song Chaoxi had come too early and deliberately stood to the side without speaking.

  She knew the Old Madam well—her family background had been prestigious, and she’d been pampered from a young age. She was particur about everything—tea couldn’t be too hot or too cold, and even the way food was handled had rules. In the whole household, only Gao shi served her well. Because of this, the Old Madam liked her best, even more than the senior maid Yang momo.

  The Old Madam relied on her—this wasn't something that could be changed overnight. It was said that Song Chaoxi had lived with her aunt in Yangzhou for many years, so naturally she wouldn't be as well-versed in etiquette as herself. If she tried to serve rashly, it would only expose her ck of polish and would not win the Old Madam’s favor—likely the opposite.

  Gao shi didn’t deliberately csh with Song Chaoxi; it was just that Song Chaoxi had married into the family as a “joy-bringer” during Rong Jing’s illness, and from the moment she entered the household, the Old Madam had treated her like the savior of the entire Duke’s estate—not just of Rong Jing. Gao shi’s own maiden family wasn’t bad, yet she had never received such treatment. And when Song Chaoxi married in, even the Emperor came to celebrate—it was a tremendous honor and far too much attention. Madam Gao naturally felt uncomfortable and couldn’t help wanting to see Song Chaoxi slip up and be embarrassed.

  She stood idly to the side, and when Song Chaoxi saw she didn’t step forward, she simply smiled calmly and took the handkerchief from Xiyue, passing it to the Old Madam. Gao shi gnced over, lips curling in a faint sneer.

  The handkerchief was clearly too hot from the steam. Knowing the Old Madam’s temperament, she would definitely be displeased.

  But to her surprise, the Old Madam accepted it naturally and smiled affectionately. “You’re so far away; there’s no need for you to come pay respects every day. With your sister-in-w here, it’s enough. You’ve just married in—you should spend more time with your husband and cultivate your retionship. No children have been born in the house for years. I’m counting on you to bring me some good news.”

  Gao shi’s face changed.

  Song Chaoxi lowered her gaze and ughed softly. “Mother, you’re teasing me again.”

  The Old Madam chuckled. “I’m not teasing. I’m just stating the truth. You two missed your wedding night; it’s time to make up for it. The nourishing soup I had made for you yesterday—you both barely touched it. Going forward, you must take it on time. Though your medical skills are excellent, I’ve been through this—I know the body. Even if you’re not ill, taking supplements in the summer is good for strengthening the body. It won’t do any harm.”

  Song Chaoxi lowered her shes and smiled gently. Her smile seemed to light up the entire room, even leaving Gao shi briefly stunned.

  Song Chaoxi then handed the Old Madam a cup of water. The tea had clearly been sitting for a while and was cold, yet the Old Madam happily rinsed her mouth with it. Gao shi’s face gradually darkened. The Old Madam was not an easy person to serve, yet with Song Chaoxi, all her usual standards seemed to disappear. Cold water, hot towels, the fvor of the tea—it no longer mattered. Gao shi now saw clearly: the Old Madam was too pleased with this daughter-in-w. Just seeing Song Chaoxi put her in a good mood, making her overlook everything else. Was beauty really this powerful?

  And what did the Old Madam mean earlier—saying Song Chaoxi didn’t need to come anymore, because she herself was already here? Though the Old Madam wasn’t harsh to her daughters-in-w, Gao shi had worked hard to earn a reputation for filial piety. Yet now Song Chaoxi didn’t need to do a thing and already had the Old Madam wrapped around her finger. Gao shi thought of her years of attentive service and felt a deep injustice. They were both daughters-in-w—so why was she the one with the fate of a servant, waking early and boring daily, while Song Chaoxi got by on looks alone and was adored for it?

  Being a daughter-in-w shouldn’t be this easy.

  Song Chaoxi sensed the emotional shift and more or less understood what Gao shi was thinking. But she didn’t take it to heart. There were plenty of people who didn’t like her—what was Gao shi compared to that?

  There was no reason to be in a bad mood because someone else was.

  As she walked out, she spotted Mama Yang from a distance, looking quite worried, with Xiyue also appearing anxious. They were speaking to a woman dressed like a kitchen maid. These two had always been calm and composed—why were they now so distressed?

  Song Chaoxi approached and asked in a cool tone, “What’s wrong?”

  Mama Yang respectfully greeted her, then replied, “Second Madam.”

  “Is something wrong with Mother?”

  Mama Yang didn’t hide it and after thinking for a moment, shared her concern: “The weather’s been hot tely, and the Old Madam hasn’t had much of an appetite. She’s eating little, but always ends up bloated—her stomach swells like a drum and only fttens after an hour or two. She refuses to see a doctor, and I don’t think this can go on. I wanted to ask the kitchen to change the menu and see if some digestion-aiding dishes might help.”

  Song Chaoxi thought briefly. “Besides the bloating, are there other symptoms?”

  “Her stomach feels soft at first but then quickly becomes distended like a balloon.”

  “And is her digestion otherwise normal?”

  “All normal. Honestly, we should ask a royal physician, but the Old Madam has always disliked doctors. She’s never let one treat her unless absolutely necessary. I just don’t know what to do anymore.”

  It was common for elderly people to avoid doctors, but that made it even more important not to dey when symptoms showed. Even minor issues could become serious. Song Chaoxi thought a moment and said, “I’ll write up a prescription. Have the kitchen make it into a medicinal meal and tell Mother it’s for summer heat and strengthening the spleen. The fvor is mild and shouldn’t be off-putting. If she improves after three days, come tell me. If not, I’ll check her pulse personally.”

  Mama Yang suddenly remembered that Song Chaoxi was a physician, and her expression lit up with joy. She smiled and thanked her.

  Song Chaoxi replied with a soft smile, “It’s what a daughter-in-w should do.”

  After she left, Xiyue looked in the direction she had gone and murmured, “Second Madam is equally stunning in both male and female attire. No wonder the Old Madam likes her—she puts people at ease.”

  Mama Yang smiled knowingly. She had been in the inner residence for many years and never misjudged people. With the Second Madam’s looks, temperament, and heart, she was bound to win the Duke’s favor. Her good days were only just beginning.

  “What did you say? The Duke is awake?” Shen shi’s face changed drastically, and she nearly wrung the handkerchief in her hand to shreds.

  The servant was stunned. He thought he was delivering good news and that Shen shi would reward him. But instead, her face turned grim.

  He broke into a cold sweat. Why wasn’t she happy that her own son-in-w had awakened? The Duke of Rong wasn’t just anyone! News of his recovery had spread across the capital, and even street vendors were offering discounts to celebrate. But Madam Shen—his own family—was upset?

  He lowered his head and reported carefully, “The royal notice was already taken down. They say the Duke woke yesterday, is in good health, and fit to lead troops again. To celebrate, the Rong estate has been distributing porridge outside the city for ten days and donating a lot of silver to charity, saying it’s a vow being repaid.”

  Shen shi nearly lost her bance. She waved a hand and had a senior maid drive the servant away. Just then, Mama Sun came in with a tray of fresh fruit. Seeing her mistress’s expression, she asked quietly, “Madam, are you worried about Second Miss?”

  Shen shi sat down with a huff, furious. They were sulking at home while Song Chaoxi was living like a goddess in the Duke’s estate. Now look—only three days after marrying in, the Duke had woken up. The whole estate would surely treat her like a savior. But why? Just because of dumb luck? If it weren’t for Song Chaoxi, her own daughter Chaoyan would be enjoying that life now!

  Shen shi sneered. “I really must be cursed, to have given birth to such a daughter. If I had known she’d bring harm to her sister and ruin our entire marquisate, I should’ve strangled her at birth!”

  Sun shi kept her head down, not daring to speak. Shen shi couldn’t swallow her anger and added coldly, “So tell me, what am I supposed to do now? Chaoyan refuses to marry anyone but Rong Heng. But since when has it ever been acceptable for two sisters to marry a father and son? This mess—how do I fix it?”

  Mama Sun hesitated and suggested, “Why not find a good match for Second Miss instead?”

  “I’d be willing,” Shen shi replied, “but she absolutely refuses.”

  Mama Sun lowered her head, thinking privately: since when do children get to decide their own marriages? It’s supposed to be arranged by the parents and a matchmaker. Madam Shen spoils her children far too much. Lately, Song Chaoyan had been throwing fits over her marriage, even threatening starvation and suicide. Madam Shen had tried to persuade her several times. Mama Sun also cared deeply for Song Chaoyan—after all, she had watched her grow up—but how long can anyone put up with such antics? She couldn’t help thinking: normal men wouldn’t like this kind of girl… but perhaps the young heir really was into this type.

  After overcoming the initial awkwardness, Song Chaoxi had grown used to the Duke of Rong being awake. That night, she again went to the bathhouse to soak. Dong’er stood nearby holding the dowry list. Song Chaoxi had been reviewing it for quite some time. She didn’t need to check the accompanying items, but a few shops and estates needed her attention. Her cousin had thoughtfully written detailed notes about them, which she now reviewed against the list.

  Though red candles were lit in the room, it was still quite dim. Her eyes were starting to feel strained, so she decided to stop reading.

  She had always loved bathing and even made her own pnt-based bath oils. Now, with the addition of magical herbs (xiancao), the process was even easier.

  Bored, she began humming a little tune. Dong’er asked curiously, “Miss, is that in the Yangzhou dialect?”

  “Yes,” Song Chaoxi replied with a smile. She had picked up the song during outings with her cousin to social gatherings—sometimes they’d visit brothels, where the women were excellent performers. She had learned a few tunes herself, though the lyrics were a bit suggestive and not suitable to sing in public.

  Dong’er found it fascinating. Her young mistress sang beautifully.

  “Miss, do you know any other songs?”

  Lounging zily in the wooden tub, Song Chaoxi tapped her fingers on the edge before humming another melody. This time it was completely different—Dong’er couldn’t understand it. It wasn’t Yangzhou dialect, but another regional folk song.

  It was a bordernd dialect.

  Rong Jing looked up from his book, eyes fixed thoughtfully in the distance. He had led troops beyond the borders and was familiar with the customs of those regions. To hear Song Chaoxi hum a folk tune from that area was unexpected. Yet her voice carried the soft lilt of the South, turning what was usually a rough, rustic song into something delicate and tender. It had an entirely different charm. Her sweet and flowing voice drifted clearly into his room—the soundproofing in the old building was poor, and with his keen hearing, he could make out every word of their conversation.

  As the song ended, Dong’er stared in awe. She and Qingzhu cpped excitedly. “Miss! That was amazing! You sing so well!”

  Song Chaoxi was very pleased with her two fttering maids. Her eyeshes were still wet from the steam, and she smiled zily, her red lips curled. “Of course! Do you know your mistress has a very grand nickname?”

  Qingzhu blinked and asked, “What nickname?”

  Song Chaoxi ughed. “The Bathhouse Diva!” Her fourth cousin had given her the name, saying she loved to sing both while bathing and while using the restroom—it was truly fitting.

  Dong’er cpped even harder, her round cheeks glowing with sincerity. “What a unique nickname! Only our young dy could pull it off!”

  Song Chaoxi waved her hand dramatically. “Keep it low-key, low-key!”

  Next door, the man reclining on the bed couldn’t help the faint smile that flickered in his eyes.