Chapter 116

Chapter 116

Rong Tang also experienced this at eighteen, especially during the days leading up to his college entrance exams, studying until he fell asleep, only to be awakened the next morning by his body’s natural reactions.

This is a completely normal phenomenon and nothing to be ashamed of, so it’s perfectly natural for Su Huaijing to experience these things, and he doesn’t need to feel embarrassed.

But it’s different for Rong Tang, having lived through three lifetimes. In his previous two lives, he would occasionally wake up with such reactions in the morning. But in this life, after marrying Su Huaijing, whether it’s due to copying Buddhist scriptures or having more leisure time, he practically epitomizes the term 'pure-minded and desireless.'

He could become a monk without any sense of contradiction, and if a physician bluntly told him, "You have erectile dysfunction," Rong Tang could nod calmly and agree, "Indeed, I do."

However, when these words come from Su Huaijing, and his wife seems frustrated and unsatisfied every day, half-jokingly clinging to him and complaining with a hint of resentment in her eyes, Rong Tang would rarely, very rarely think: Why can't I perform?

His inability to perform means they can’t consummate their marriage.

— Rong Tang never really thought about falling in love, yet suddenly found himself at the step of consummating the marriage, nor did he anticipate that someone, who had persuaded him to agree to a relationship under the condition of not joining a burial, could now use this as a threat.

Su Huaijing has become quite arrogant due to his favored status.

And Rong Tang, unfortunately, tends to indulge him.

The next day, they had breakfast in the queen’s courtyard.

Seeing the faint shadows under Rong Tang’s eyes, Wang Xiuyu asked with concern, “Didn’t you sleep well?”

Rong Tang lied without changing his expression, “It was too hot, I couldn’t sleep.”

He would never admit that last night he lay in bed, rummaging through every bit of risqué literature he had read in his lifetimes, yet still couldn’t arouse himself.

So embarrassing.

The young master thought to himself, silently bowing his head to drink a bowl of scallop soup.

Su Huaijing, having been sent to his own room to sleep last night, was unaware of Rong Tang’s struggles. Initially worried, he soon noticed Rong Tang’s overly familiar, poorly concealed expression and chuckled without giving it further attention, leaving Rong Tang to his own thoughts.

With Lady Qian’s delivery imminent and Wang Xiuyu about to move out of the mansion, Su Huaijing took a day off. After Rong Mingyu and Wang Xiuyu had their talk, the two escorted the Princess Royal and Wang Xiuyu to the suburban residence.

Once the Princess Royal stood at the entrance, not even Rong Mingyu’s people could step into the outer yard.

Su Huaijing broke into a smile, making a bow to the Princess Royal, “Then I shall not enter. I hope grandmother and mother find comfort here. The courtyard is well-prepared, and the stewards left from the mansion are trustworthy. Please rest assured during your stay.”

Rong Tang looked up and saw Bi Xin directing servants to unload luggage at the gate.

Wang Xiuyu talked with him for a while and, as the sky darkened, allowed them to leave.

Before getting into the carriage, Rong Tang looked back and asked Su Huaijing, “Why didn’t we escort them inside?”

Su Huaijing replied, “Grandmother must not see me.”

Rong Tang asked, “Why?”

The big villain confidently stated, “If Her Highness sees me in the house, she’ll start thinking about how to make me relent and give her the residence. I’m not giving her that chance.”

Rong Tang: “......?”

He paused for two seconds, quite speechless, “Are you alright?”

Although the Princess Royal wasn’t as wealthy as the Ke family, she had her own fief and stipend. Why would she need to compete with the younger generation for a house?

Yet, Su Huaijing acted as if “she would definitely snatch the house”, making Rong Tang almost too embarrassed to watch.

Like a proud peacock.

He turned his head, lifted the carriage curtain, and let in the evening breeze from the suburbs. Passing by a medical clinic while entering the city, his gaze paused briefly, looking intently for a few seconds before nonchalantly shifting away.

Su Huaijing, engrossed in reading, didn’t notice this little movement. Upon returning to the mansion and routinely dealing with confidential letters from his subordinates, he saw Hangfeng approaching with a somewhat troubled expression.

He waited for a moment, but when Hangfeng didn’t speak, he casually asked, “What’s the matter?”

Hangfeng seemed hesitant, the words stuck in his throat, unsure whether to speak.

Su Huaijing, not fond of his subordinates hesitating, paused his actions and looked up at Hangfeng with a slightly cold expression.

Hangfeng immediately said, “The young master secretly brought someone back to the mansion.”

Su Huaijing: “……?”

He was momentarily stunned, his expression softening, but still confused, “Is it Tang Tang’s friend? I asked you to protect him covertly, not to monitor him. You don’t need to report such matters.”

Hangfeng felt wronged, thinking to himself that Su Huaijing seemed to be the one who got jealous at the mere sight of Rong Tang looking at someone else.

After a few seconds of silence, he braced himself and said, “It’s a physician.”

Su Huaijing’s hand holding the pen froze in the air, then slowly lowered. He lightly pinched his fingertips, his voice neutral, “A physician? For what treatment?”

The physicians at the mansion were not as skilled as he was. Why would Tang Tang go looking for someone outside?

He thought back to the pulse he checked recently; there were no signs of any deterioration.

Su Huaijing felt a wave of displeasure rising within him, growing restless, nearly on the verge of going to Rong Tang’s room to find out what he was secretly discussing.

Hangfeng, already past thirty, unusually blushed while reporting to his master. He lowered his head, not daring to meet Su Huaijing’s gaze, and after some thought, he found a less direct term to describe the issue: “Zongjin Chizong.”

Su Huaijing was taken aback, took a couple of seconds to react, and unnaturally shifted his gaze, “Understood, you may leave.”

Zongjin Chizong, or 'loose penile tendon', commonly known as... erectile dysfunction.

Su Huaijing rested his hand against his forehead, silent for a long while, then let out a muffled laugh.

What to do, he wondered if his secret addition of herbs would be discovered by Rong Tang?

In traditional medicine, the balance of vital essence and spirit is crucial. The more physically weak a person is, the more they must conserve their essence. Rong Tang, being only twenty and in the prime of his youth, Su Huaijing worried that self-pleasure might harm his health and deliberately added herbs to suppress sexual desire in his prescriptions.

The prescriptions of Doctor Lin also contained such herbs, but their effect was likely not as pronounced, leading to Rong Tang secretly seeking medical help after being stimulated several times by Su Huaijing.

Su Huaijing found the situation both amusing and frustrating.

No physician could cure this, as the medicine was prepared by Su Huaijing himself. Unless there was a significant improvement in Rong Tang’s health, he would not easily alter the prescription, rendering any other medicines prescribed to Rong Tang ineffective.

Su Huaijing sat at his desk, reflecting for a long time, reminding himself to be more restrained, not to take advantage of Rong Tang’s tolerance and continuously bully him.

This was not good at all.

Determined, Su Huaijing remained quiet for several days, dealing with affairs of the Imperial Censorate while secretly sending people to Dazui to find the young prince and escort him covertly.

When the season turned to June, Empress Yi in the palace and a consort in the mansion gave birth to sons. After a grand full-moon celebration, autumn began to settle in the capital.

One early morning, as usual, Su Huaijing got up early to attend court. Birds chirped outside, the sky gradually brightening, while the sleepyheads were still immersed in dreams.

The big villain lay flat on the bed, suppressing his desires, glanced at Rong Tang’s profile, and couldn’t resist turning over to plant a kiss on his face.

As he left, his eyes darkened with restraint. He bit down gently on the dimple by Rong Tang’s cheek, murmuring in a breathy voice with a hint of frustration, “I’ll change your medicine.”

But it was just a thought; he couldn't bring himself to do something so selfish.

Su Huai Jing let go of his grip, sighed, and pulled Rong Tang into an embrace, savoring the contentment that made life seem worthwhile and the world a place worth living in.

It wasn't until the rooster crowed three times outside the courtyard that Su Huai Jing reluctantly loosened his arms, gently lifted the quilt, and was about to get out of bed when Rong Tang hummed drowsily, his eyelashes trembling slightly, unsure if he was roused by the long disturbance or the slight movement in bed.

Rong Tang opened his eyes, slightly confused and disoriented, blinking at the misty pre-dawn light outside, feeling something against his legs.

He paused for two seconds, unsure if he was fully awake or still drowsy, while Su Huaijing's movement to get off the bed froze in place, guessing that Rong Tang would probably fall back asleep soon, so he decided to wait until Rong Tang closed his eyes again before leaving the bed, not wanting to disturb his rest.

As he shifted his weight back, intending to coax Rong Tang back to sleep, a rustling sound came from under the blanket, and a soft hand groped inside it, touching his waist and abdomen, hesitating slightly before sliding along the seam of his pants.

Su Huaijing tensed, muscles tightening in disbelief, looking at Rong Tang with a hoarse voice, tentatively asking, "Rong Tang?"

Rong Tang, clearly still sleepy, muffled his voice as if wrapped in cotton, weakly threatening, "Don't talk, I'm sleepy."

While threatening, he fumbled under the blanket for a long time, finally catching hold of the thing that pressed against him every morning.

For a moment, Rong Tang wanted to break it.

He wasn't sure if he was annoyed at its excessive energy or frustrated with his own lack of response.

But he didn't go through with it.

With his eyes closed, awkwardly and ambiguously rewarding or punishing, under Su Huaijing's almost shocked expression, Rong Tang handled him from the dim dawn until the morning light shone through the window.

Rong Tang's hand ached, and Su Huaijing was motionless throughout. Finally, annoyed, Rong Tang pinched him hard, managed the result, then wiped his hand carelessly on Su Huaijing, turned over, covered himself with the blanket, and went back to sleep, grumbling, "Teenage boys are so annoying."

"Go to the court," Rong Tang said weakly, kicking the still dazed Su Huaijing off the bed, not allowing a second of post-intimacy warmth.

Su Huaijing: "？"

Did I just have a dream?

The proud Seventh Prince sat at the foot of the bed for a long time, finally laughing silently, got dressed and left. He returned with a clean, warm towel, gently took Rong Tang's hand from under the blanket, and tenderly wiped it clean with utmost gentleness.

Indeed, even if it was his own thing, dirtying Rong Tang seemed rather displeasing to the eye.

After finishing all this, he finally went to that dreaded court session.

— Although he didn’t want to go at all.

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That day at court —

A-Xue: Good morning, Lord Su.

Su-Su: How did you know Rong Tang rewarded me?

A-Xue: ...???