Cheng Yujin didn’t know what a normal marriage should be like, nor did she know how often this kind of thing was normally done between husband and wife. She remembered that she fell asleep after being drunk yesterday and didn’t do anything all night. The only time Li Chengjing touched her was on their wedding night. However, a nuptial night was simply a part of a newlyweds’ duties. Judging from this, Li Chengjing’s attitude should be similar to hers, and everything was done just to follow the protocols and produce an heir.
Cheng Yujin gave herself plenty of leeways, but nodded with a smile and didn’t say much. It was better to be ambiguous. If Li Chengjing was quick to get bored like other men and she couldn’t give birth to children for a long time, that was something beyond her.
Seeing Cheng Yujin’s reticent and nonchalant smile, Old Madam Cheng was a bit fretted inside. She was always like this. A certain madam would bring her children and other juniors to visit Cheng manor. Cheng Yujin would greet them with a smile, but didn’t bother to pay attention to the group of young people and only sat with the madam. That was how Cheng Yujin was. Seeing her boring attitude, who would be willing to approach and talk with her? It was Cheng Yumo who knew how to actively talk and play with boys.
Old Madam Cheng watched how the young people looked at Cheng Yujin in amazement, but the girl didn’t even pay them attention beyond the initial greetings. Thus, they didn’t dare to come and bother her. Old Madam Cheng had been worried about it for a long time, and she was especially afraid that Cheng Yujin would continue to behave like this even after her marriage.
It appeared now that her worries were correct.
Old Madam Cheng even felt that Cheng Yujin was completely able to close the door to her bedchamber and prevent her husband from entering, or even encourage him to spend the night in other places so she wouldn’t get disturbed.
Now Cheng Yujin’s husband was the Crown Prince; she couldn’t possibly prevent him from entering the chamber. But as long as Cheng Yujin was indifferent, the Crown Prince would certainly not stay. If things went on like this, the relationship between the husband and wife would only grow increasingly colder and stiff. How would a child be born between them?
Possessing such beauty as a great asset, yet didn’t get the hang of it. Old Madam Cheng was extremely vexed. She wanted to say more, but at such an old age, she couldn’t possibly teach her newly-married granddaughter about the matter between husband and wife. In the end, Old Madam Cheng said vaguely: “Crown Princess, His Highness lived outside for many years, and his marriage was later than usual. Presumably, His Majesty already cannot wait to hug a grandson. His Highness is older than you. Regarding the matter between husband and wife, please just follow his guidance in everything.”
Cheng Yujin didn’t understand why Old Madam Cheng had to say it specially, but she nodded: “I understand. Thank you, grandmother.”
But when Old Madam Cheng saw Cheng Yujin’s faint expression, she knew that the girl didn’t understand what she was actually suggesting. Old Madam Cheng was speechless. She wanted Qingfu to teach Cheng Yujin in private, but when she remembered Qingfu and Cheng Yuanxian’s married life, she knew this idea was terrible.
Old Madam Cheng’s relationship with the late Old Master was not good either. However, she was strong-willed and hard-handed, leaving no leeway for her husband’s concubines to survive. All Cheng family’s three children were born from her belly. The only blunder was Cheng Yuanjing, who came back suddenly at the age of six. But later, it was confirmed that he wasn’t the Cheng family’s blood.
No need to mention Qingfu Junzhu and Cheng Yuanxian’s relationship. Cheng Yuanxian was lustful, raising concubines one after another, always changing to a new favorite after a short period of novelty. Qingfu Junzhu practically guarded a vacant room all year round, and only with Old Madam Cheng’s intervention, Cheng Yuanxian reluctantly goes to her. A child’s perception was strongly influenced by what they saw and heard. For Cheng Yujin to grow up in this environment, how could she learn a married couple’s normal way of getting along?
On the contrary, Cheng Yumo had a complete family. Ruan-shi and Cheng Yuanhan also had a good relationship. Therefore, Cheng Yumo got along with men better than Cheng Yujin.
Old Madam Cheng was secretly annoyed. Their Cheng family was now firmly tied to Crown Prince’s faction. If Cheng Yujin couldn’t give birth to Crown Prince’s son, then Cheng family’s bargaining chips would be much weaker. Old Madam Cheng didn’t care if Cheng Yujin had a superficial relationship with her husband. As long as they produced a di son, it didn’t matter how they got along behind the closed door.
Cheng Yujin and Crown Prince were both blessed with extraordinary looks and rigid temperaments. They looked gorgeous standing side by side. However, when two rigid people became a couple, others would inevitably worry whether they could produce a child or not.
Old Madam Cheng stared at Cheng Yujin for a while. Making up her mind, she quietly instructed a Mama by her side.
After the noon meal, Cheng Yujina and Li Chengjing returned to the palace. When the family was having the meal together, the womenfolks saw that, as Cheng Yujin said, Li Chengjing didn’t seem to have the intention to bring up the old scores again. Li Chengjing was polite and gentle during the meal. He kept the atmosphere well, and spoke amicably to Cheng Yuanxian. Seeing this, the whole Cheng family was finally relieved and sent the couple off in a happy mood.
Just before leaving, Old Madam Cheng gave Cheng Yujin a box and repeatedly instructed her to wait until she was alone before opening it.
Cheng Yujin didn’t take it to heart. When a new bride returned to her natal family on the third day of the wedding, she would bring back gifts. The amount of gifts a bride brought back reflected her position in her husband’s family. Similarly, when the newly-married daughter left, her natal family would provide her with another set of gifts in reciprocation, showing the strength of the family. Cheng Yujin simply thought that Old Madam Cheng’s box was just one extra gift, and didn’t care much.
After returning to the palace, reporting to the Empress and Empress Dowager, and having dinner at Ciqing Palace, Cheng Yujin finally changed into casual home clothes. Only then did she remember the mysterious box given by Old Madam Cheng.
After dark, the palace was quiet, and Cheng Yujin had nothing to do, so she opened the box and found a book inside. At first, she was confused about why Old Madam Cheng gave her such a thing. Until she opened the book and turned to pages, she saw a very detailed diagrammatic instruction.
Cheng Yujin was stunned for a moment, then closed the book with a bang. She blushed profusely, wishing to throw the box immediately. What did Old Madam Cheng think?! Looked so solemn when handing this thing, so Cheng Yujin thought it was something serious. As a result?!
Cheng Yujin was both ashamed and embarrassed. She gritted her teeth in anger. However, no matter how angry she was, she didn’t dare to be impulsive. This kind of book couldn’t be put carelessly. How much face would she, the Crown Princess, lose if a palace servant accidentally found it?
Cheng Yujin was anxiously looking for a place to hide this shameful thing when a voice came behind: “What are you doing? Why do you look so angry?”
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