Over the past few days, A Mei had plundered and secretly confiscated so many jewels and pieces of jewelry from Princess Anchang that the princess was practically gnashing her teeth in hatred. She wished she could be rid of A Mei once and for all.
Unable to swallow her anger, Princess Anchang vowed not to let the matter rest. She went to Prince Anchang and asked him to think of a way to deal with the Imperial Commissioner’s wife. Prince Anchang’s mind immediately began to turn, and after the two of them put their heads together, a plan was born.
That very day, A Mei had just stepped out of the entrance to Auspicious Treasure Pavilion, leading a group of maids carrying bag after bag, all of them walking with cheerful, brisk steps. Right behind her, the two fragrant, graceful beauties specially arranged for the occasion were delivered before An Sheng.
An Sheng arched a brow and cast a sidelong glance at the accompanying official, wearing a faintly amused smile. “What’s this?”
The official was quite the smooth talker. He gave a sly grin, shot An Sheng a look that every man understood, and said ingratiatingly, “Rest assured, Imperial Commissioner. We all know how deeply you cherish your wife, so naturally we wouldn’t put you in a difficult position. However, as the saying goes, every gentleman loves a beautiful lady. These two beauties were personally selected for you by our prince and princess. They also specifically instructed me to purchase another residence near your current estate. If these ladies happen to catch your eye, I’ll send them there tonight. Then you can keep them hidden away in a private residence. As for your wife, not a word of this will reach her ears.”
“I’ll stake my life on it. Apart from the prince, the princess, you, and me, Heaven and Earth themselves will know—but no fifth person will ever find out.”
An Sheng: “…”
It did not take long for the official to notice the change in Imperial Commissioner An’s expression. First, An Sheng swept him with a sharp, dark look that sent a chill through the man’s heart. But then he saw An Sheng’s deep black eyes flicker between light and shadow, as though he were tempted. An Sheng extended a finger and tapped it rhythmically against the tabletop. After pondering for a moment, he curved his lips into a sinister smile and let out a strange, mocking chuckle.
“Not bad. The prince and princess certainly are considerate. Go back and tell them that I accept their kind intentions.”
The official was overjoyed. “Understood, my lord!”
…
As soon as A Mei returned to their room, she looked up and saw An Sheng sitting beside the table, drinking tea. Her eyes lit up with pleasant surprise.
“Oh? Husband, why are you back so early today?”
An Sheng gave a quiet hum, then beckoned her over with a gentle expression. “Come here, my wife. There’s something I need to discuss with you.”
A Mei obediently went over at once, only to be pulled into his arms and seated on his thigh.
Holding her close, An Sheng picked up a bowl of sweet pudding and personally fed her a spoonful.
A Mei opened her mouth and mumbled, “Husband, what is it?”
An Sheng told her about his plan to keep the beauties hidden away.
A Mei froze. She blinked once, then twice, before asking uncertainly, “Husband… you really accepted them?”
An Sheng nodded and brought the spoon to her lips again. “Yes. We’ll see what Prince Anchang is really up to.”
A Mei turned her head away and refused to eat. She took out a handkerchief and wiped the corner of her mouth, then tilted her head and threw herself into his arms with a huff. Without saying a word, she seized An Sheng’s sleeve and began giving it an enthusiastic series of tugs.
An Sheng was helpless. He set down the spoon and laughed despite himself. “Oh dear, is my wife upset? Since I told you about it, naturally I’m only putting on an act. If I were really keeping other women hidden away, I wouldn’t dare! Please don’t be angry, all right?”
A Mei said nothing. Her hand continued tugging at his sleeve again and again, wrinkling the expensive fabric all over.
An Sheng continued to placate her, wrapping his large hand around hers. “My wife, my darling, you know that you’re the only one in my heart. Don’t you know my feelings by now? This is merely a temporary measure. The spies have reported that Prince Anchang has been making frequent moves in secret. Naturally, we have to be cautious.”
A Mei gave a muffled “Oh,” then turned around and tried to get up. But her hand was still held in An Sheng’s. She tugged once, but he did not let go. She tugged again, and still he refused to release her.
An Sheng pulled her back toward him, drawing her into his arms once more. In a humble, coaxing tone, he said, “I was afraid you’d be angry, so I told you in advance. Don’t worry. I swear on my life that I will never do anything to betray you.”
The gentler An Sheng became, the more spoiled A Mei acted. She nestled against him, her lips pursed into a little pout, and murmured softly, “Of course A Mei trusts you, Husband. But you belong to A Mei alone. Even knowing it’s all an act, I still can’t help feeling unhappy.”
With that, A Mei suddenly slipped her arms around An Sheng’s neck. In a soft, delicate voice, she called, “Husband… Husband…”
An Sheng tightened both arms around her waist, holding her securely in his embrace. Seeing her flushed face tilted upward as she called to him in that sweet, coquettish voice, his heart melted completely. He immediately lowered his head and captured her lips.
As he kissed her, lingering between her lips and teeth, he murmured breathlessly, “My precious darling, don’t worry. Once we’ve uncovered the truth, I’ll kill those two women and vent your anger for you.”
A Mei: “…”
This time, it was A Mei who was left both amused and exasperated.
She pushed hard against An Sheng’s chest, finally breaking free of the kiss, and glared at him with eyes glistening with moisture.
“No, I already know it’s fake. Why would you still want to kill someone? I—I’m not that unreasonable.”
As she spoke, A Mei’s expression suddenly grew serious. “Come to think of it, Princess Anchang has been probing me, both openly and in secret, about when we’ll be returning. It’s almost as if she’s urging us to leave. Something strange is definitely going on, so we really do need to be careful.”
An Sheng hummed in agreement. Seeing that A Mei was no longer dwelling on the matter, he finally relaxed. Then he seized the back of her head and kissed her again with force, making her part her lips helplessly as he deepened the kiss and continued their intimate embrace.
“Mmm…”
Only after kissing her until her cheeks were flushed, her heart raced, and her entire body went limp did he finally let her go.
A Mei lay weakly against An Sheng, breathing softly. Once she had recovered, she clung to his arm again, holding him tightly. A sudden determination and seriousness flashed through her moist eyes as she called out:
“Husband.”
An Sheng answered, “Hmm?”
A Mei pressed her lips together, as though she had made some important decision. Then she stared intently at An Sheng and said, “Although I trust you, Husband, to be absolutely certain, you still have to promise me one thing.”
An Sheng nodded immediately, his attitude resolute. “Not just one thing. I’ll agree to anything you ask, my wife!”
His words filled A Mei’s heart with sweetness. Without hesitation, she blurted out, “Then promise me that from now on, every day we spend in Lindong, you’ll make love to me.”
A Mei delivered such an intimate request with perfect calm and composure. Even An Sheng’s eyes twitched in astonishment.
After an almost eerie silence, An Sheng finally spoke, hesitating as he did so. He stared intently at A Mei, yet there was a trace of excitement in his voice that was difficult to detect.
“Every day? My lady, are you sure your body can handle that?”
A Mei snorted. Perhaps realizing only belatedly how brazen her words had sounded, she suddenly grew bashful, lowering her little face before glancing up at An Sheng from beneath her lashes. Her expression was impossibly alluring.
“Even if I can’t handle it, I’ll have to. The storybooks say the best way to keep a man from being unfaithful is to feed him until he’s satisfied. From now on, A Mei will cling to her husband every day and make sure he’s well fed. That way, even if he wants to fool around outside, he’ll be too exhausted to do anything.”
An Sheng: “…”
His eyes grew dark as he gazed at A Mei. Beneath their depths churned restless desire, twisted obsession, and an appetite without end. He suddenly spoke in a trembling voice:
“Very well. Then beginning tonight, I’ll look forward to my lady feeding me to her heart’s content. Since you were the one who asked for this, I’ll be sure to enjoy myself. Darling, sweetheart, if you can’t take it anymore and beg me to stop like you usually do, I won’t be nearly so accommodating.”
His low voice carried a hint of coaxing. The suggestive undertone instantly brought a sheen of moisture and an embarrassed flush to A Mei’s eyes. How could she have known that her momentary impulse had provoked such consequences? In shame and indignation, she reached down and pinched the flesh of An Sheng’s thigh.
“Ow! Husband, what are you saying? Why does that sound so strange and embarrassing? It’s mortifying!”
An Sheng ground his teeth, forcibly suppressing the excitement surging through him so intensely it seemed ready to spill over. His expression twisted strangely as well. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, he changed the subject and murmured in a low, distant voice—so quietly that even A Mei could barely make out the words:
“If I’d known there were benefits like this, I should have taken those beauties as concubines sooner.”
A Mei: “?”
She tilted her head, puzzled. “What did you just say, Husband? I couldn’t hear you clearly.”
An Sheng had already reined in his emotions. He turned to A Mei with a tender, affectionate smile and an utterly righteous expression.
“Nothing. My lady, are you hungry? Shall we eat first? Afterward, I’ll accompany you to bathe.”
A Mei thought nothing of it and obediently replied, “All right.”
