VBNWDW - Chapter 122
Chapter 122
"When did Ruan He get on your bad side? I can't believe you'd actually punish her by making her kneel."
A voice as clear as a trickling spring sounded. The gray tiles and white walls were just as they had always been, but a verdant branch, having grown longer at some unknown time, now reached through the window to peek inside.
In the study, Zhong Jueyu was reclining against a Luohan couch, a scripture scroll in her hand. She hadn't turned a page in a long while, her gaze unfocused, as if she were lost in thought.
Luo Yueqing, on the other side, raised her voice and repeated her question.
Only then did Zhong Jueyu snap back to reality. She turned her head, instinctively opening her mouth to speak, then abruptly stopped.
The little Daoist beside her grew even more puzzled. Usually, no matter what she wanted to know, big or small, Zhong Jueyu would tell her everything. Why was she suddenly silent on such a trivial matter?
"Jinyan," Luo Yueqing was a spoiled sort, unfamiliar with the art of being considerate. Seeing Zhong Jueyu hide something, she began to show her displeasure.
Between them was a low couch table, shaped like a U, used for holding pastries, tea, or books that had been temporarily set aside.
Today, for instance, the table held small white porcelain cups of tea and a lacquer platter of green grapes, with droplets of water still clinging to them like captivating crystals. The scene looked utterly leisurely.
But neither of them was in the mood to appreciate it. Zhong Jueyu was busy trying to find an excuse, while Luo Yueqing was busy being mischievous.
After only a few minutes without an answer, Luo Yueqing dared to slip her leg under the table.
Since they were in the study, Luo Yueqing was still properly dressed in her Daoist robes and white socks. Her shoes, however, were nowhere to be seen. She kicked her foot directly onto the Grand Princess's thigh, urging impatiently, "What's wrong with you?"
If anyone else had seen this, who knows how they would have condemned her. How could the Grand Princess of their Great Liang be treated in such a manner?
But the person in question didn't find it excessive at all. She skillfully grabbed the other's ankle and draped it over her own leg, settling it into an extremely comfortable position.
But Luo Yueqing was not so easily placated. She arched her foot slightly, tapping her toes against Zhong Jueyu's abdomen as she pressed, "Hurry up and tell me."
Zhong Jueyu was helpless, yet she didn't want to say. She could only coax her in a soft voice, "It's just a small matter."
How could she possibly tell Luo Yueqing this?
And even if she could, how would she say it?
She couldn't very well say that she had asked Ruan He to buy some special illustrated books, but because Ruan He had been so diligent in her search, she had carefully selected and bought over twenty of the "best items" on the market. When Zhong Jueyu had opened one, her face had instantly turned red, and after a closer look, she had punished Ruan He by sending her to face the wall.
At that thought, the images from the illustrations involuntarily surfaced in her mind again. How could two women be so… excessive…
She shivered, and the hand gripping the ankle suddenly tightened. The round ankle bone pressed into her palm, but this dull ache wasn't enough to wake her from her reverie; instead, she sank deeper into the images.
On the page, a woman straddled another, her hands pressed behind her on the bed to support herself. A small amount of pink ink, diluted with water, was lightly sprinkled on the woman's body, creating a hazy, blushing beauty.
She seemed to be in some discomfort, her brow tightly furrowed, yet her expression was one of pleasure as she swayed her voluptuous hips.
The person beneath her didn't seem to mind her weight. On the contrary, she appeared even more delighted than the other woman, her overly blatant gaze fixed on the other, as if in anticipation or encouragement.
There were other, even more excessive scenes, like one on a wooden couch just like the one they were sitting on now, where a lady was lying on her stomach, looking back at the other person…
The round bone under her palm became more pronounced as her fingers continued to tighten. The ears hidden beneath her hair turned completely red.
After all, she was a princess who had received the strictest orthodox education from a young age. She rarely touched things like gossip or storybooks for amusement, let alone this. Zhong Jueyu's prior knowledge of erotic art was limited to simply recognizing and knowing the term.
And in the army, though there were plenty of crude people, who would dare be so brazen in front of the Grand Princess? Not only would they not dare, but they would actively avoid her, ensuring Her Highness never heard such filth.
So, this was Zhong Jueyu's first time seeing such things.
She never expected that Ruan He, who was always so reliable, wouldn't buy any simple, subtle books. It was as if she feared Her Highness would lose out to others, starting right away with the most explicit material.
Perhaps she had too much faith in Zhong Jueyu, thinking that if she could easily grasp the most complex military strategies and Daoist scriptures, then the most subtle introductory books would naturally be insufficient. She never once doubted whether her master could handle it.
"Zhong! Jin! Yan!"
What finally pulled Zhong Jueyu's thoughts back was the voice of the little Daoist Qingyue, each word angrier than the last.
Zhong Jueyu hastily returned to her senses and, noticing the force of her grip, quickly let go. "Does it hurt?" she asked.
She had practiced martial arts since childhood, and her strength was not comparable to that of an ordinary woman. After holding on for so long, she wondered if it had turned red.
The Grand Princess couldn't help but feel a pang of concern. "Why didn't you pull away?" she added.
The moment she said it, she realized the other person couldn't have pulled away even if she wanted to. She could only say guiltily, "Let me see how it is."
With that, she raised her hand to untie the white sock, but before her fingertips could touch the tie, the other person deliberately pulled away. The side of her foot pressed against Zhong Jueyu's lower abdomen. Though it wasn't a full press, the sensation was distinct, especially since this area, unlike others, now held a different, unusual meaning in the eyes of the Grand Princess who had seen the illustrated books.
Moreover, Luo Yueqing was now toying with her sash. The azure sash was tied in a simple knot and could be pulled open with a slight tug.
Zhong Jueyu pressed her lips together, forcing herself to remain calm. "Don't mess around."
But the slight tremor in her voice betrayed her unsettled heart.
Luo Yueqing grew more and more curious. What could this matter be that she had to hide it from her like this?
With curiosity came a mischievous thought.
She couldn't help but apply a little pressure, pressing down on the other's stomach. "What is it?" she demanded.
But Zhong Jueyu replied, "Stop fooling around. Let me take a look."
In the Grand Princess's eyes, the little Daoist was delicate. A slight chill could give her a cold, and a careless bump would leave a bruise. She was as fragile as glass, a constant source of worry.
Her mind drifted again. If Luo Yueqing was this fragile, wouldn't it be very difficult to accomplish the things in those books…
Ruan He's hesitant voice echoed in her ears once more.
She had said, "The little Daoist Qingyue has a delicate constitution. Your Highness must study more and work harder, so as not to injure the little Daoist."
On reflection, that statement did seem to have some merit. But at the time, Zhong Jueyu hadn't listened at all. She had simply escalated Ruan He's punishment from facing the wall to kneeling while facing the wall, causing Ruan He to limp away afterward.
Zhong Jueyu blinked and glanced to the side, as if sizing her up or pondering something. In the end, she couldn't bring herself to ask if it would be possible.
Luo Yueqing, however, was thoroughly annoyed. Pressing on the other's abdomen, she said with puffed cheeks, "Zhong Jinyan, are you going to tell me or not!"
From the looks of it, this would require a great deal of coaxing.
Zhong Jueyu quickly pushed all those chaotic thoughts to the back of her mind and coaxed, "Let me see it, or it will be red tomorrow."
Luo Yueqing ignored her, immediately trying to pull her leg back. Zhong Jueyu quickly grabbed her calf and said again, "Don't be difficult."
The other paid her no mind, still trying to free her leg. Her unconsciously bent knee bumped the table, causing it to rock and rattle.
Zhong Jueyu had no choice but to use one hand to steady the table while holding her back with the other, coaxing, "The table is going to tip over. Stop pulling."
Luo Yueqing still wore a look of displeasure.
Zhong Jueyu's eyes swept across the table and spotted the grapes. She reached out, plucked one, and was about to bring it to the other's lips. "Stop being angry, alright?"
Luo Yueqing turned her head to avoid it, then shot her a sidelong glance, a chilly remark slipping out, "How would I dare to eat a grape fed to me by my Senior Sister?"
Zhong Jueyu inwardly cried out. Ever since the imperial decree had come down and Zhong Jueyu had become a disciple of the master of Xuanmiao Temple, the little Daoist had harbored some resentment—why do you get to be a real one while I'm just a fake Daoist?—and would occasionally make sarcastic remarks.
Normally, Zhong Jueyu could only coax her or smile wryly. Now, with two offenses combined, it was a crime upon a crime. It seemed this wouldn't be settled easily.
She looked at Luo Yueqing with difficulty, but the other person had turned to look out the window, unwilling to even spare her a glance.
The grape held between her fingers was cool. It had been specially chilled in the ice cellar for a while before being washed and served.
Zhong Jueyu thought of another scene from the illustrated books. These grapes had other uses, for example…
Luo Yueqing stewed in her own anger. After a while, she realized the other person still hadn't come to coax her. Her cheeks puffed out in frustration, and she immediately turned her head to glare, only to freeze.
On the other side, the Grand Princess had half-bitten into the grape she had refused. This act, which completely violated all her past teachings, made Zhong Jueyu hesitate. Her earlobes were still red enough to bleed. Finally, she made up her mind and leaned toward Luo Yueqing.
Her forearm rested on the table. The sash, which Luo Yueqing had loosened, now hung precariously, and her loose Daoist robe slipped down, outlining a lean, slender waist. She then lowered her head slightly, offering the grape to Luo Yueqing's lips.
The posture was familiar; Luo Yueqing had done it before. But hers had been deliberate, whereas the Grand Princess's held a kind of careful attempt to please, like a small cat extending its tail to clumsily and shyly hook the other's ankle.
Luo Yueqing couldn't help but tilt her head up and take the grape in her mouth.
But Zhong Jueyu didn't let go. She suddenly bit through the fruit's skin, and cool juice gushed out, trickling down the corner of Luo Yueqing's lips.
Luo Yueqing had a sweet tooth and couldn't resist sticking out her tongue to snatch it, but she was a step too slow. The grape fell back, landing in the other person's mouth.
The little Daoist grew anxious and hastily tried to grab it, her hand unconsciously clutching the other's collar. But step by step, she was falling into the hunter's trap.
The robe slipped further down, the sash now completely useless.
The pulp was crushed by a tongue, squeezing out sweet juice that unintentionally trickled from the corner of a mouth. Unwilling to waste it, Luo Yueqing tried to lick it up, nibbling at a bit of soft flesh, only to be pulled back moments later by a hand on the back of her head.
Outside, the shadows of the trees swayed in the wind, and the falling sunlight made the green leaves glow like jade.
The more Luo Yueqing ate, the more delicious she found it. She began plucking the grapes one by one and feeding them to the other's red lips. That person cooperated, and at some point, she had crossed over the low table and landed in the other's arms, tilting her head back to accept each grape.
There was much more in the illustrated books; this was just the opening scene. But she didn't continue, as a certain angry person had completely forgotten about the matter.
In a moment of distraction, the grape was crushed again, but Luo Yueqing quickly leaned over, aggressively trying to steal it.
Zhong Jueyu let her have her way. But as her thoughts reached this point, she couldn't help but catch the hand that was moving upward and guide it down.
Fortunately, Luo Yueqing was distracted by other things and didn't notice her small action.
Zhong Jueyu silently breathed a sigh of relief. Overcome with guilt, she indulged the other even more, until she was pressed down onto the couch.
As for the imperial decree being loudly proclaimed over and over outside the Daoist temple, no one paid it any mind.
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