Chapter 22: Not Used to Sharing a Bed with Her

If possible, Cheng Zhao hoped she would not have to see Zhou Yuanshen for a very long time.

Unfortunately, he was free for the next few days.

And Cheng Zhao had no way to avoid taking her afternoon naps in the Chenhui Courtyard.

Every time she woke up from her nap, Zhou Yuanshen was there. He used to read and play chess in the western side room, but now he had moved to the eastern one.

When Cheng Zhao came out of the inner room, he would be sitting right there.

"Lord Duke," she lowered her eyelashes, "I am going to Chengming Hall now. You don't need me to serve you here, do you?"

Zhou Yuanshen raised his eyes to look at her.

His eyes were pitch-black. When he looked at people, they were calm and rippleless, like thousand-year-old ice. His incomparably handsome face seemed covered in a layer of frost because of those eyes.

It was as if he would fly into a violent rage in the very next second.

In reality, however, Zhou Yuanshen had never lost his temper. He rarely even spoke loudly.

He had been back in the capital for some time. With his naturally fair skin, much like the Second Madam's, a period of rest had washed away the ruggedness of a military man, making him look more like a scholar.

Yet, the toughness and coldness of a general remained completely undiminished in him.

Cheng Zhao's impression of him had always been that he was rough. But thinking about it carefully, his speech and manners actually showed the noble upbringing of a young master from an aristocratic family.

The only rough and vicious behavior of his was probably in the bedroom.

"Go on ahead," he said.

Cheng Zhao complied and left for Chengming Hall.

That day, Zhou Yuanshen also went out.

He went to visit his maternal grandmother.

At the same time, he met up with his youngest uncle, Fan Xiao, to discuss the recent political situation at court.

Fan Xiao worked in the Dali Temple. He hadn't yet reached the rank of Deputy Minister, but he was on very good terms with both the Minister and Deputy Minister, so he knew many inside details.

Also present today was his youngest uncle's close friend, Helian Jian, the heir of Prince Rong's Estate.

"...Of course the Empress wants to make the Seventh Prince the Crown Prince. But there are many opponents. The Seventh Prince is only nine years old; he's too young and there are too many variables. Furthermore, the Empress's maiden family has a massive clan influence, leaving no room for the court officials," his youngest uncle said.

Helian Jian added, "The court officials also keep harping on the fact that the Empress is not His Majesty's first wife, bringing it up time and again."

At this point, both men looked at Zhou Yuanshen.

His Majesty's first wife had been Zhou Yuanshen's aunt.

His aunt had passed away many years ago without leaving behind a son or daughter. The less there was to entrust his grief to, the more the Emperor missed her.

Zhou Yuanshen merely listened quietly.

"...It's been three months since your grand wedding. Is there any good news from the Duchess?" Fan Xiao asked suddenly.

The uncle and nephew were similar in age and had grown up together on the frontier, so their bond was different from others. Fan Xiao dared to ask him anything.

"What about your concubine?" Helian Jian also asked. "She was handpicked by the Emperor. If she gets pregnant first, it would be more beneficial to you, right?"

Zhou Yuanshen frowned.

He did not want to talk about these matters.

Seeing his displeasure, Fan Xiao steered the topic back to the court situation.

By evening, Helian Jian took his leave, but Fan Xiao still couldn't help showing concern for Zhou Yuanshen.

Now that he was married, the issue of an heir was quite urgent, especially given the situation of the Zhou family.

Zhou Yuanshen's maternal family all advised him to let his lawful wife give birth to the eldest son. If the concubine had a child first, he might be controlled by the Old Madam forever.

His youngest uncle, Fan Xiao, even told him a story.

"...In the past, there was a General of Valiant Cavalry under my father's command. He and his wife had been married for seven years without a legitimate son, though he did have several children with his concubines.

His wife spent her days seeking medical advice and praying to the gods. Later, a barefoot doctor, who possessed some real skill, went to check her pulse.

The doctor said that neither husband nor wife had any major health issues. Unless their ancestors had committed grave sins, they shouldn't be lacking a legitimate child.

That barefoot doctor told them to 'return to their primal nature.' Have you ever seen cattle and horses mate? Humans essentially suppress their natural instincts, which might be why an heir is always so hard to conceive.

In less than half a year, that general's wife was with child, and subsequently gave birth to four in a row. The story spread all over the garrison."

Fan Xiao jokingly told Zhou Yuanshen not to be overly delicate and to hurry up and produce a legitimate son. Humans needed to learn from beasts; inside the bed-curtains, husband and wife shouldn't care about worldly statuses.

Zhou Yuanshen had done exactly that.

He originally hadn't wanted to drag Cheng Zhao into this. It was she herself who insisted on causing a fuss.

Zhou Yuanshen had also put in effort regarding the request for her imperial title; that was why the title of "Duchess" was granted so quickly.

Now that she had the title and claimed she was willing, giving birth to a child sooner rather than later would only benefit Zhou Yuanshen without causing any harm.

He didn't want to have too deep a bond with Cheng Zhao. His goal was clear, so every time he went to the Nonghua Courtyard, he would remember what his youngest uncle said about "returning to their primal nature."

But he could feel that his Duchess was very unhappy.

Noble ladies from prestigious families were the most overly delicate.

Perhaps she would only understand Zhou Yuanshen's intentions after suffering through seven childless years—of course, Zhou Yuanshen himself couldn't afford to wait that long.

It had been two months since they consummated their marriage, yet there was still no good news from her.

Zhou Yuanshen couldn't ask anything. If he asked, it wouldn't come across as concern, but as an accusation.

He didn't want to accuse Cheng Zhao of anything; he wasn't even familiar with her. Perhaps the ancestors of the Zhou family had indeed committed grave sins, and they deserved to die out without an heir.

The woman from the eldest branch had been married for two years before her husband died, and didn't she also fail to leave behind an heir?

He was very reluctant to discuss this matter with anyone.

That day, Zhou Yuanshen returned very late.

He had drunk some wine and rode his horse back as usual. When he arrived in front of the residence and saw the plaque that read "General Pingxi's Mansion," he was momentarily stunned.

It had been a long time since he last returned here.

It had been more than half a year since he moved into Duke Chen's Mansion.

Zhou Yuanshen dismounted, and his lieutenant went to knock on the door.

The General's Mansion had people left to guard it, but they hadn't expected the master to return so suddenly, and for a moment, they were a bit panicked and at a loss.

The servants made the bed and prepared hot water, and Zhou Yuanshen slept in a guest room in the outer courtyard.

He slept very soundly.

It had been a long time since he had a dreamless night like this, and he woke up feeling refreshed.

When he was at Duke Chen's Mansion, whether in the Nonghua Courtyard or the Chenhui Courtyard, he always felt a wave of confusion and a special kind of melancholy upon waking.

It always felt like something was weighing down on his chest.

Especially in the Nonghua Courtyard. Every time he woke up, having a woman beside him would startle him while he was still half-asleep. His instincts as a general made him feel it was dangerous, and he would subconsciously try to draw the dagger hidden under his pillow.

Unfortunately, he couldn't keep a dagger under the pillow in the Nonghua Courtyard.

Zhou Yuanshen really wanted to return to the Chenhui Courtyard to sleep after every time they shared a bed, but he was afraid the "Duchess" would overthink it.

It seemed that every time they had intercourse, she was extremely unhappy; if he were to leave without staying the night, Zhou Yuanshen felt she might die of depression.

After all, it was a human life.

If he had married a girl from a military family, perhaps they would be able to understand each other, and he wouldn't have to force himself to adapt.

Zhou Yuanshen found the General's Mansion comfortable, so he stayed there for six consecutive days.

Until Nanfeng came looking for him.

"The Old Madam specifically called this humble servant over to ask where you have been sleeping these past few days. The Young Madam manages the main kitchen, and hearing that your dinner portions for the past few days were untouched, she also tactfully inquired," Nanfeng said.

Zhou Yuanshen: "I will return tonight."

"Where should dinner be served?" Nanfeng pressed, as he needed to report back to the Old Madam.

Zhou Yuanshen: "Chenhui Courtyard."

"Then what about the Young Madam..."

"These matters have nothing to do with her," Zhou Yuanshen said.

Nanfeng complied.

When dealing with the Old Madam, the Lord Duke was probably very frustrated and irritable, though it couldn't be seen from his exterior.

He shouldn't have brought up the Young Madam at a time like this.

Nanfeng went back to report his mission.

On this day, Cheng Zhao got her monthly courses. Hearing that the elusive Zhou Yuanshen was returning to dine in the Chenhui Courtyard, she had an excuse to refuse his visit to the Nonghua Courtyard, and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.