Chapter 53: Tonic

A gentle breeze blew outside the window, carrying the chill of peach blossom snow as it sneaked into the inner bedchamber like a mischievous child.

Cheng Zhao's hair hung loose. Zhou Yuanshen held the back of her neck with one hand and wrapped his other arm around her, trapping them together in a small, intimate space.

Dark tresses obscured a bit of her vision as he kissed her. Cheng Zhao felt as though she were dreaming; nothing felt quite real.

His breath was scalding.

Hotter than the sparks of a heating stove.

Yet Cheng Zhao felt cold, her senses exceptionally heightened in this moment.

The intertwining of their lips and teeth made her tremble, and with the chilly wind blowing against the skin of her hand, she shivered and snapped back to her senses.

She pushed against Zhou Yuanshen.

Zhou Yuanshen pressed in closer, nearly pinning Cheng Zhao against the dressing table.

Cheng Zhao's back bumped against the bronze mirror.

She tried in vain to grab onto something, knocking a rouge box down with her hand and causing a clatter.

"Young Madam..." Nanny Li stood outside the door curtain, her voice slightly hesitant. "Young Madam, shall I serve the meal?"

The door was not closed tightly.

And Zhou Yuanshen's hand had already hooked onto the sash of her skirt.

He looked as if he wanted to swallow Cheng Zhao whole.

Cheng Zhao's mind gradually cleared.

There was something wrong with his state. Her mother-in-law and her own mother were both sitting in the eastern side room. At a time like this, she absolutely could not let him do as he pleased.

Taking advantage of a moment when his grip loosened, she bit down hard on his lip.

Her teeth were sharp, drawing blood instantly, and Cheng Zhao tasted the faint metallic flavor of rust.

Zhou Yuanshen gasped in pain, his grip loosening a fraction, and Cheng Zhao seized the chance to break free.

Her thigh slammed into the corner of the dressing table. The corner was bound in iron, and the heavy impact made Cheng Zhao double over uncontrollably, tears of pain welling up in her eyes.

When she raised her eyes, a tear slipped down her cheek.

Zhou Yuanshen stared at her.

His eyes cleared up a fraction.

"Prepare some cold water for me," he ordered in a deep voice.

Cheng Zhao called out to Nanny Li: "Nanny, come in."

Nanny Li walked in and saw Cheng Zhao with her hair disheveled and her eyes red, feeling a wave of shock in her heart.

"Have someone bring in cold water," Cheng Zhao said.

Nanny Li complied.

"After giving the order, come back and comb my hair," Cheng Zhao added.

Nanny Li went to carry out the tasks.

The commotion on this side could hardly be hidden from the two mothers sitting in the eastern side room.

Second Madam thought about it for a moment and vaguely understood what was going on: the only one who would dare make such a scene in Cheng Zhao's bedchamber was undoubtedly Zhou Yuanshen.

With his mother-in-law here, it was already highly improper for Zhou Yuanshen not to come and pay his respects; if he were to further...

Using all the wisdom she had accumulated over half her life, Second Madam said to Madam Cheng, "In-law, there is a beautiful blood coral in Jiangyun Courtyard. Would you care to go and have a look?"

She regretted it as soon as she said it.

Since when was blood coral considered a rare treasure? The Cheng family had plenty of them.

And among Second Madam's own treasured collection, blood coral did not even rank.

It was mainly because she had mentioned gift-giving with Second Master that morning and happened to bring up blood coral. In her moment of panic, it was the only thing she could think of.

Madam Cheng smiled gently. "I am most fond of blood coral; its color is festive and auspicious. Please, lead the way."

Given a way out, she immediately took it.

Second Madam and Madam Cheng walked out with quick steps, even bumping into a rough-work maidservant carrying water at the door.

"Absolutely absurd!" Second Madam was furious inwardly.

How could this put her in-law's mind at ease?

Putting herself in the other's shoes, Second Madam felt she could strangle Zhou Yuanshen herself.

He was usually the most rigid and observant of propriety. How could he act so frivolously today?

What would his mother-in-law think of him?

Second Madam glanced at Madam Cheng's face.

Madam Cheng possessed excellent composure. As if she had noticed nothing, her smile did not falter for a second as she followed Second Madam out.

Second Madam made small talk all the way, feeling extremely guilty.

She also felt her behavior was inappropriate, like a guilty person protesting too much, further blackening Zhou Yuanshen's reputation. But she simply could not pretend nothing had happened.

Fortunately, Madam Cheng did not find fault and merely went along with her words.

Lunch was served in Jiangyun Courtyard, having been temporarily relocated.

Cheng Zhao did not go to keep them company during the meal.

Her lips were slightly swollen, and she was currently having Nanny Li apply a cold compress to them; she had changed her clothes and redone her hair.

Cheng Zhao sat on the large heated brick bed by the window in the eastern side room, feeling deeply depressed.

Zhou Yuanshen was still in the washroom.

Nanny Li served Cheng Zhao tea. "Would you like to go to Jiangyun Courtyard to eat?"

They probably had not finished eating yet.

Cheng Zhao shook her head. "I have no appetite."

"If you don't go, Madam will be worried," Nanny Li said.

She added, "Later, ask Lord Duke what exactly happened. If you explain it to the Madams, they will surely understand."

Cheng Zhao lowered her eyes and said nothing.

Nanny Li knew she wanted to throw a temper tantrum right now and needed time to calm her nerves. She was still young after all; sometimes her endurance crumbled, and she could not maintain her composure.

Two hours later, Zhou Yuanshen arrived in the eastern side room.

He had changed into casual wear, a quilted black long robe embroidered with gold thread in an auspicious cloud pattern. The heavy garment made his face appear even paler.

The flush across his body had faded.

His lip was a little swollen. The place Cheng Zhao had bitten was the inside of his lower lip. It had swelled up and hurt terribly, but fortunately, it was not very visible from the outside.

"...I was out of line just now," Zhou Yuanshen said.

Cheng Zhao remained silent.

She was the Duke's wife. Even at the risk of offending him, she could not blindly indulge him and show no temper of her own.

"Has mother-in-law returned home?"

"You still remember that my mother is here?" Cheng Zhao retorted.

Zhou Yuanshen's dark eyes were serene, and his face held no extra expression. He merely let out a soft sigh. "The tonic Dowager Madame had someone send over..."

Cheng Zhao looked at him sharply.

Zhou Yuanshen: "It likely wasn't Dowager Madame's person. She occasionally sends me some soups and broths."

Dowager Madame had a habit of rewarding him with tonics, so he had been off his guard.

After drinking it, he immediately felt a burning heat all over his body.

Zhou Yuanshen had planned to finish his current tasks and then enter the inner courtyard to visit his mother-in-law; he knew she was visiting today.

In the side room of Chenhui Courtyard, the large heated brick bed by the window grew increasingly hot. A drop of sweat rolled down his temple, and Zhou Yuanshen suddenly lowered his head.

When he was sixteen, he also experienced sudden, restless urges, but he rarely felt like this nowadays.

Then someone knocked on the door.

He heard the voice of a young woman.

"Miss, why are you here again? Lord Duke was very angry last time." Zhou Yuanshen heard Nanfeng's voice.

He lifted the window lattice and caught sight of a flash of crimson skirts.

The dress was very beautiful.

Zhou Yuanshen rarely found other people's clothes beautiful.

His composure was completely shattered.

Before Nanfeng could send the person away, Zhou Yuanshen left Chenhui Courtyard like a gust of wind. At the door, he ran head-on into the young woman and caught a whiff of a rich fragrance.

It was so fragrant it made one's mouth water.

In truth, Zhou Yuanshen usually disliked heavy incense. Even though he had spent years at the frontier, the upbringing of the Duke's estate had taught him the ability to appreciate fine things.

Heavy scents were too vulgar.

He originally did not like it.

All his senses were betraying him, so he sprinted frantically to Nonghua Courtyard.

Running too fast made his whole body burn.

When he reached the courtyard gate, his remaining shred of reason told him that his mother-in-law was present.

He feared that his current state would frighten people and leave a bad impression on his mother-in-law.

Zhou Yuanshen had scaled the wall to enter Nonghua Courtyard, climbing directly into the inner bedchamber through the back window.

Now, with the husband and wife sitting alone, Zhou Yuanshen could not excuse himself.

He simply said, "It is all my fault. I lost my composure."