Chapter 10: The Arrival of Tao Zi’s Menstrual Cycle

Chapter 10: The Arrival of Tao Zi's Menstrual Cycle

Behind the eight-panel screen adorned with a landscape painting, wisps of blue smoke lingered, revealing glimpses of a pale and slender back, its contours delicately outlined by the hazy candlelight, yet indistinct.

Shang Rongyu's gaze longed to pierce through the screen, to scrutinize every inch of the figure within.

Though he was no gentleman, he had never truly allowed anyone to attend him in such close quarters.

He had seen his share of beauties, enough to consider himself immune to their charms, believing that no one could unsettle his composure.

Now, he finally understood that it wasn't the virtue of Shun's restraint, but rather that he hadn't encountered the person who could disrupt his calm.

Ran Qinggu froze at the sound, his voice catching in his throat. "H-H... Heir?"

Exhausted and drowsy, he had neglected to shut the door?

Why would Shang Rongyu visit him so late at night?

Where was Tao Zi? Shouldn't she be guarding outside his room?

His muddled mind suddenly snapped into clarity.

His clothes hung on the screen; to retrieve them, he would have to stand...

Standing up meant the screen would no longer conceal his upper body.

It implied that his days were numbered.

Shang Rongyu placed the nourishing soup on the table, casually picking up the neatly folded clothes that had been mended, chuckling. "It's me, Consort Heir. You seem quite frightened?"

Ran Qinggu submerged deeper into the water. "At this hour, why would the Heir come here?"

Shang Rongyu crossed his arms, looking in the direction of the screen. "A husband entering his wife's room in the dead of night, what else could it be? Of course, to sleep."

Ran Qinggu: "…"

Shang Rongyu took a step closer, smiling. "This Heir has given it some thought. Since it's an arranged marriage, divorce is unlikely. This Heir is willing to make do. Why not consummate our marriage tonight?"

Ran Qinggu hastily interjected. "No."

Shang Rongyu had already stepped inside, pausing. "Why not?"

In truth, it wasn't his pause, but rather his shock upon seeing the flustered Consort Heir.

The Consort Heir huddled in a corner of the bathtub, covering her chest and facing the wall, her back exposed to him, a canvas of porcelain skin. The petals floating on the water's surface vaguely concealed the body beneath, while a few damp petals clung to her back…

An urge to kiss each petal away arose.

But seeing Ran Qinggu's panicked expression, her hands tightly clasped over her chest, and her occasional glances at him, he couldn't bear to startle her further.

Was it due to her youth, feeling inadequate to show herself to her husband?

He wasn't particularly repulsed.

Ran Qinggu watched Shang Rongyu nervously.

Had he truly sensed something amiss and come to investigate?

His thoughts raced. "Because I… I'm not very convenient today."

Shang Rongyu, intending to tease her, realized her distress and understood. "Your menstrual cycle has arrived?"

Ran Qinggu: "…"

After a moment of silence, he affirmed with a soft "Mm."

Shang Rongyu turned to look at the bowl of crab roe nourishing soup outside the screen. "These servants know nothing but laziness. I'll have someone bring you a new bowl of soup. Consort Heir, don't stay in the water for too long."

Crab roe was cold in nature, unsuitable for women during this particular time.

As Shang Rongyu turned to leave the room and call for help, Ran Qinggu quickly grabbed her clothes and dressed herself.

When Shang Rongyu reentered the room, he saw a woman in a bodice and long skirt emerge.

Droplets of water trickled down her shoulder, back, and collarbone, sliding over her alabaster skin. Her waist-length hair, wet and clinging to her clothes, had dampened her attire, which now clung to her graceful figure like a brush, tracing the outline of her body…

Her brows furrowed as she looked at him, a mix of bewilderment and uncertainty.

Shang Rongyu felt an unprecedented sense of awkwardness.

It was as if he were an unwelcome guest, intruding upon a celestial realm and disturbing a divine being.

Ran Qinggu let out a quiet sneeze.

Shang Rongyu promptly reacted, closing the door and removing his outer robe to drape over Ran Qinggu. "The night is chilly, Consort Heir. Take care of your health."

Ran Qinggu thanked him. "Thank you, Heir."

Shang Rongyu smiled. "Between husband and wife, there's no need for such formality."

Chun'er arrived with a new bowl of red ginseng, jujube, and deer blood soup. "Chun'er was remiss in her consideration. I didn't anticipate Consort Heir's special circumstances. Please forgive us, Heir and Consort Heir."

Shang Rongyu: "Be more vigilant next time."

Chun'er: "Yes."

Ran Qinggu, who usually disliked jujube and blood-nourishing foods, slowly drank the entire bowl of soup, having just told a significant lie.

After finishing the soup and setting down the bowl, Shang Rongyu approached, scooping him up horizontally, and carried him toward the bed, gently placing him on it.

Ran Qinggu looked at Shang Rongyu in surprise. "Heir… tonight…"

Shang Rongyu: "It's too late tonight, so I'll sleep here. You're not feeling well, so you should go to bed early as well."

As he spoke, he took off his robe and lay down.

Ran Qinggu had no choice but to lie down.

He was very sleepy, but now that he was in bed, he couldn't fall asleep.

The situation was developing in a direction he couldn't control, and he couldn't fathom what Prince Cheng's Heir was thinking.

He hated the feeling of being unable to control things.

After a spring rain, all the flowers in the capital bloomed.

Every year, the imperial family would hold a spring hunt during the season when all things came back to life. All eligible princes and nobles in the capital would participate. Some inner court ladies would also join in for the fun, either to add prestige to their fathers or brothers, or to take part themselves, showing that women could be just as capable as men.

The Da Su Dynasty valued both literature and martial arts, and men especially were expected to excel in both.

Therefore, on this day, many officials from the capital would bring their wives and children along, in preparation for choosing suitable husbands.

As someone who had married into the imperial family, Ran Qinggu was naturally expected to accompany the princess to add prestige to the hunting party.

This year, the rainfall was good, and the flowers in the mountains were blooming brilliantly and luxuriantly. The hunting grounds were located on the outskirts of the city, behind a vast grassland, and then there was the lush and towering Nan Shan mountain.

At the foot of Nan Shan mountain was the dense Sishui River. Every year, the flowers along the riverbanks bloomed like brocade, a breathtaking sight.

The hunting encampments were set up at the foot of the mountain.

After exchanging pleasantries with the princess and the other concubines, Ran Qinggu took a walk alone outside the encampment.

On the first day of the hunt, they needed to set up camp and organize the troops.

Therefore, some officials' sons saw this scene and went out to enjoy the scenery together... Many noble young ladies also walked around in twos and threes, weaving through the sea of flowers...

"The Consort stops here; this is where the military arrows and crossbows are stored," a voice suddenly interrupted Ran Qinggu.

Only then did Ran Qinggu see that there was a large tent ahead, with many guards standing outside.

He hurriedly stopped and apologized, "Sorry, I took a wrong turn."

Prince Third Shang Yuzhou's hair was neatly tied up high, and he wore a magnificent purple riding outfit. His fierce and upright figure was straight like an arrow.

He laughed softly, "It's alright. The scenery here is indeed beautiful. Quite a few young ladies have taken the wrong turn as well."

Ran Qinggu turned around, intending to go back the way he came.

Shang Yuzhou called out, "If the Consort wants to admire the scenery, I do know a place. I can show the way for the Consort."

"What path does Third Prince want to show my wife?" Shang Rongyu walked over from behind Ran Qinggu.

Shang Yuzhou smiled, "Heir, the Consort wanted to admire the scenery, and I do know a good spot. I was just about to show the way for the Consort."

Shang Rongyu smiled without genuine warmth. "Is that so? This Heir also knows of a place. I was just about to take my wife there, so we won't trouble Third Prince."

With that, he took Ran Qinggu's hand and walked towards the stream.

After a few steps, he turned back to warn Shang Yuzhou, "Third Prince, my wife is just an ordinary woman, ignorant and foolish. If she offended Third Prince, I apologize on her behalf. But Third Prince had better not have any thoughts about Prince Cheng's Mansion, let alone my wife. Otherwise... you'll have to revisit the Rain Flower Pond."

Third Prince Shang Yuzhou's mother died of freezing by the Rain Flower Pond when he was young.

Shang Yuzhou's face turned pale. "Shang Rongyu, you..."

Shang Rongyu sneered. "Third Prince, think carefully."

With that, he pulled Ran Qinggu away.

==

The next day was the day of the hunt, and Emperor Xianyuan Shang Qianxian personally presided over it, hosting a banquet for the officials on the hunting grounds.

An eunuch read out the prizes for today loudly.

"Empress Xian has added a Night Pearl of the Azure Sea for the spring hunt..."

"Crown Prince has added a coral jade official seal from the days of Marquis Dingbei, a pair of lapis lazuli golden hairpins, and a pair of white jade exquisite bracelets for the spring hunt..."

The Crown Prince dragged his obese body, panting three times for every step, and said to everyone, "This official seal was given to me by the Emperor after the traitor Qing Yi was executed. Since I cannot personally hunt today, I shall add a valuable prize for the fine sons and daughters of our Da Su. This coral jade official seal can be remade into a decent piece of jewelry, not inferior to ten thousand taels of gold. It awaits the talented warriors of our Da Su to claim it..."

The Crown Prince weighed over two hundred pounds, making it extremely inconvenient for him to mount and dismount from his horse. Therefore, the Emperor showed him consideration and allowed him to stay behind.

The officials hurriedly bowed to the Crown Prince in their seated positions, with their hands crossed and their heads slightly lowered. "We are grateful to the Crown Prince."

After the ceremony, some ministers and generals lavishly flattered the Crown Prince, and he returned their respect.

"A coral jade official seal? Wasn't that specially crafted for Marquis Dingbei by the Emperor to commemorate his great achievements? It symbolized Marquis Dingbei's extraordinary contributions. I've heard that coral jade is translucent, brightly colored, and has a smooth texture. Only the Eastern Sea can produce it, and thousands of lives are lost at sea for each piece of coral jade, making it extremely rare. There might only be one such piece in all of Da Su, showing how favored the Marquis Dingbei household was back then."

"Extraordinary contributions? In the end, didn't they still suffer the fate of having their entire clan exterminated?"

"How could Marquis Dingbei rebel? When I was very young, stories circulated in the streets and villages about how valiantly Marquis Dingbei fought and how skillfully he commanded troops for the Emperor to pacify the northern barbarians. How loyal and patriotic he was, a model minister for the ages... Who would have thought they would end up like this."

"Yes, five years ago, I personally followed Second Highness to execute the entire Qing Yi clan of over four hundred people and his three thousand subordinates. You haven't seen the scene... the entire Beipogang was dyed red with blood."

"Yes, yes, yes. That winter was particularly cold, and the snow was especially heavy. When we killed the entire Qing Yi clan and his subordinates during the snowfall, guess what happened? When the snow melted in the spring, the hills were covered with bones. Now if you go to Beipogang and pull out a blade of grass, you can easily find a piece of bone..."

The officials around them couldn't help but sigh and lament.

If it weren't for the reappearance of this rare official seal, no one would remember this once glorious prince, nor would they remember his tragic and miserable end.

Shang Rongque looked at Prince Cheng and asked curiously, "Father, was this Qing Yi really as legendary as they say?"

King Cheng glanced at the Emperor and said indifferently, "He's stationed at the border all year round, occasionally returning to the capital with his troops. This king has met him several times; he is indeed a formidable hero."

Shang Rongyu laughed. "The Crown Prince is using this opportunity to warn the Second Prince and the officials."

King Cheng glared at him. "Don't speak recklessly."

Shang Rongyu smiled without a word.

Ran Qinggu lowered his head to drink tea.

What Shang Rongyu said was indeed true.

The Crown Prince and the Second Prince were born of the same mother, both being sons of the late Empress.

Although Emperor Xianyuan doted on the Crown Prince, he also favored the Second Prince greatly.

The Second Prince had an extraordinary appearance, and his literary and martial talents surpassed those of the Crown Prince by leaps and bounds.

He built water conservancy projects, provided disaster relief, promoted trade, supervised imperial examinations to gather talent... every deed was well-received, benefiting the country and its people.

If one were to ask who among the Emperor's sons was most suitable to ascend the throne, it would likely be the Second Prince that both officials and commoners would recommend.

But etiquette could not be overstepped. Emperor Xianyuan had already chosen his heir, and no matter how much the Second Prince accomplished, he would have to bow to the Crown Prince.

It seemed that in recent years, the Second Prince's popularity had grown too much, making the Crown Prince wary. The Crown Prince was warning the Second Prince that even if he enjoyed temporary glory, it was the emperor who allowed him to flourish or wither.

Shang Rongyu leaned against the couch, raising a white jade cup to his lips as he drank fine wine.

Casually, he glanced at Ran Qinggu.

Ran Qinggu was looking down, staring at his own hands.

Compared to other ladies, these hands weren't particularly beautiful, but they were delicate, with distinct joints, easily fitting within his palm.

On impulse, he took hold of them.

Ran Qinggu looked up in surprise. "Heir?"

Seeing Ran Qinggu's pale face devoid of color, Shang Rongyu asked, "What's wrong? Why do you look so terrible? I'll send for the imperial physician."

Ran Qinggu quickly held onto Shang Rongyu. "No, it's just..."

After some thought, he gritted his teeth and said, "I'm feeling unwell in my stomach."

Shang Rongyu suddenly understood. "Oh, it will last about seven days... Look at my memory... After we disperse, go back and rest. Tonight, I'll bring you something special."

Ran Qinggu nodded. "Alright."

King Cheng gave Shang Rongyu a glance, chiding, "You're too arrogant, boy. The first to stick out gets rotten first."

Shang Rongyu smiled. "With Father here, who dares to let me rot?"

King Cheng shot Shang Rongyu a proud smile. "You only know how to show off your might. When you get into trouble, see if I don't deal with you."

Shang Rongyu replied, "If you could handle me, wouldn't you have done so long ago? Instead, you let me ruin your reputation outside."

Father and son were once again on the brink of confrontation.

King Cheng forcibly restrained his hand from striking Shang Rongyu.

On the high platform, the drummers had already struck the thunderous drums, startling the birds in the forest into screeching...

Emperor Xianyuan was already dressed and walking down from the high platform, still majestic and heroic.

Shang Rongyu stuffed a handful of melon seeds into Ran Qinggu's hands. "Let's go. Peel them for this Heir."

Ran Qinggu was speechless.

As he turned around, Shang Rongyu had already stepped down from the high platform.

One of Shang Rongyu's guards led out the adorable puppy that wagged its tail and acted cute.

The puppy was entirely snow-white, its mouth open and tongue hanging out as if smiling, wagging its tiny tail tightly beside Shang Rongyu's leg.

When the puppy appeared, exclamations of "Ah, how cute! How beautiful!" from the women in attendance filled the air.

Shang Rongyu had told Ran Qinggu before.

This puppy was the result of his father King Cheng's snow wolf mating with a stray dog from East Main Street, a failed product that could only grow to this size.

The puppy was actually two to three times larger than an average puppy, but due to its fluffy and chubby appearance, there was no difference. In fact, this dog was already over two years old.

He had given this puppy a very nice name: Doggy Two.

Ran Qinggu didn't understand what was so nice about the name, only knowing that the guards in the mansion all said it sounded good, that even gods descending from heaven couldn't come up with a better name.

After Shang Rongyu released the dog chain, he grabbed the reins and mounted his horse.

He looked in Ran Qinggu's direction and raised his eyebrows, smiling at him.

Doggy Two panted as it rubbed against the horse's hooves.

The horse neighed, nearly kicking it.

Ran Qinggu watched the handsome young man on his spirited steed, his hair tied high, his red and black tight-fitting attire outlining his lean figure.

He raised his eyebrows and smiled, exuding a carefree demeanor, his entire being full of youthful spirit.

He had to admit that Shang Rongyu indeed possessed the qualities that made the daughters of the capital yearn for him day and night.

Such vigor and vitality, such boldness and audacity, such unruly arrogance...

Living the life so many yearn for in their dreams.

As Emperor Xianyuan gave the order, the drumbeats grew increasingly rapid, and the horses on the hunting grounds shot off like arrows released from a bow.

In an instant, dust filled the air, shaking the earth and mountains.

Ran Qinggu saw the white dog leaping through the dust, its movements agile and powerful.

The noble ladies beside her covered their mouths in amazement.

==

A few birds flew past in the depths of the forest...

Emperor Xianyuan stopped, drawing his bow, but before he could release it, an arrow whizzed by him, piercing through seven targets.

As Emperor Xianyuan drew his bow, a crowd had already prepared countless words to cheer him on.

Now, those who were ready to cheer didn't even dare to raise their hands.

Clapping would be slapping Emperor Xianyuan in the face.

Everyone knew without turning around who was responsible for this.

The person with strong legs pressed against the horse's belly, approaching the emperor, obedient and innocent. "Uncle Emperor, I'm sorry, but I must win the top prize today. You're the emperor, the world is yours, don't compete for this small honor with us youngsters."

Shang Qianxian smiled, pointing at Shang Rongyu with his riding whip. "You naughty boy, you stole my prey and now blame me for competing for the top prize?"

King Cheng hurried forward. "Brother Emperor, Rongyu doesn't know any better, don't blame him."

Shang Qianxian laughed. "Why would I blame him? Today, all the fine men have shown such spirit, allowing me to witness the brilliance of you young ones."

"Yes," the princes and nobles shouted in unison.

Everyone galloped towards the depths of the forest.

Shang Rongyu, along with Dog Two, also entered the deep woods.

The Second Prince followed closely on his horse. "Your Heirship's archery skills are truly remarkable, far beyond what this prince can achieve. I heard that Your Heirship wants the top prize for the Heir Princess?"

Shang Rongyu politely smiled. "Where did the Second Prince hear such talk?"

Prince Three, Shang Yuzhou, rode by, snorting coldly. "On your wedding night, you left your Heir Princess to run off to a brothel to meet your lover. This top prize, I'm guessing, is to please that lover of yours."

Shang Rongyu scoffed coldly. "Prince Three seems to be quite concerned about this Heir. Have you investigated all my lovers? What's this? Are you harboring feelings for me? Unfortunately, this Heir is already married, and I'm not into men."

Shang Yuzhou sneered. "Isn't your reputation as Heir of King Cheng spreading everywhere? Just take a walk down any street, who isn't talking about you? Why would I need to investigate?"

Shang Rongyu laughed shamelessly. "Oh, so famous, that's quite unexpected."

With a glance, he noticed that Shang Yuzhou's guards had a substantial amount of prey, far exceeding his own.

Shang Yuzhou rode by, his tone mocking and disgusted. "When you fail to get the top prize, you'll become even more famous."

The Second Prince also rode past, sighing. "Third Brother has quite a bit of prey too, Your Heirship, you should be careful."

Shang Rongyu was unconcerned. "It's not about quantity, but quality."

Lu Yunshen rode up on his horse. "Prince Three's two golden deer are worth more than all your prey combined. Each of his catches is finer than yours."

Shang Rongyu slowly rode his horse, swaying leisurely. "We've just started, why rush? If I don't get the top prize today, I'll snatch all of Shang Yuzhou's prey."

Lu Yunshen nearly fell off his horse. "...Do you have a grudge against him?"

Shang Rongyu: "Do you know why he's hunting so desperately? It's to prevent me from getting the top prize. Despicable, vile, low!"

Lu Yunshen was puzzled. "How does him preventing you from getting the top prize relate to those last three words?"

Shang Rongyu pointed his whip at the green leaves nearby. "What color is this?"

Lu Yunshen: "Green."

It was spring, the perfect time for leaves to turn green.

Shang Rongyu: "And then?"

Lu Yunshen: "They turn yellow."

Shang Rongyu: "Scram!"