Is there really such a good thing in this world? Chapter 5

Chapter 5: The salty fish laughs and cries

If Lu Meng's hair wasn't so long, it would definitely be standing on end right now.

With a cry of "Ow," Wu Linxuan suddenly jumped up, and Lu Meng quickly retreated to keep a distance between them. Seeing the expression of pain on his face, he turned and ran toward the door, afraid that if he was a second too late, he would get hit.

You should know that even in modern socialism, there is still domestic violence, and the police can only mediate. In ancient times, hitting women was as common as cracking sunflower seeds.

She had burned a very sensitive part of him!

Lu Meng ran to the door to find the maid, thinking that if a group of people rushed in knowing that Wu Linxuan had been burned in such a sensitive place, he would be too embarrassed to hit her.

When Wu Linxuan saw her running toward the door, he knew she was going to call for people, and he couldn't bear the embarrassment.

His face was flushed with red, green, and black as if he had drunk the imperial palace's jade liquor. He didn't care about the burn anymore. While pulling his robe away from his skin, he shouted, "Come back here!"

Oh my, even the title "this prince" had been burned away.

Lu Meng's hand was already on the door, but she stopped suddenly when she heard the shout. She froze at the doorway, then adjusted her gloating expression, turned around with a worried look, and said to Wu Linxuan, "Your Highness... we should quickly call the maid."

Wu Linxuan's expression was so gloomy it could drip water. If he called the maid in, what would be left of his dignity?

Lu Meng watched Wu Linxuan clutching his robe, the veins on his forehead throbbing, and immediately realized he was in great pain. An idea struck her instantly—

She ran to the washing room and brought out the basin of cold water that the maid had hastily placed there after she washed her hands and ate fruit, and which hadn't yet been emptied.

Then, without a word, she splashed the cold water on the area where Wu Linxuan had been burned on his lower back.

"Hiss..." Wu Linxuan gasped sharply from the cold.

It was summer, and in ancient times, there were only a few ways to cool down: either by placing some ice in the room or drinking cold beverages. Ice was extremely rare, so Lu Meng, being a secondary consort, didn't have any in her room. She used well water to cool down instead.

The freshly drawn, ice-cold well water, still bone-chillingly cold after washing hands. Splashing such cold water on such a sensitive area without warning made even the calmest person lose their temper.

Especially since Wu Linxuan was not known for his good temper.

After gasping from the pain, he immediately roared in anger: "What are you doing! You really have a lot of nerve!"

Lu Meng was still holding the basin and almost responded with, "You idiot, I'm saving you!"

But in reality, she didn't dare to say that, so she quickly thought on her feet, then threw the basin aside and said, "Your Highness, I'm trying to relieve your burn. When I was a mischievous child, I knocked over my mother's teacup, and my mother used cold well water to wash the burn. After washing, it got better!"

As she spoke, Lu Meng felt very clever and tilted her head slightly, asking Wu Linxuan, "Your Highness, do you feel that the burning sensation has lessened a bit?"

Wu Linxuan was so angry he hadn't had time to notice, but now... after Lu Meng poured the water, the burning sensation did lessen somewhat.

The two stood in silence for a moment. When Lu Meng saw that Wu Linxuan didn't seem like he was going to hit her, she quickly said, "Your Highness, follow me to the washing room. There is plenty of cold well water there. This washing needs to last at least..."

Lu Meng almost said fifteen minutes but quickly corrected herself, "At least the time it takes to drink a cup of tea."

Wu Linxuan's face was extremely grim, but since the burn was in such a sensitive place, he was unwilling to call the maid. So, with a stiff face and an awkward posture, he followed Lu Meng into the washing room.

After a while, the two stood in the washing room. Wu Linxuan stood expressionless, holding his robe, while Lu Meng rolled up her wide sleeves and used a small ladle to pour water seriously on the important area of Wu Linxuan's pants.

Her serious expression and worried eyes were "absolutely genuine," but inside, Lu Meng was laughing her head off, thinking that he would never want to touch her again for the rest of his life.

Lu Meng was laughing so hard inside that she almost fell to the ground from laughter, while outwardly she asked seriously, "Your Highness, how do you feel now? Are you still in pain?"

When Wu Linxuan heard that, he frowned deeply and didn't want to answer. His lower half was completely wet, and every time he moved his boots, they made a sloshing sound.

But since the burn was in a sensitive area, he had no choice but to reply, "I don't know, I've lost feeling."

Numb from the cold.

When Lu Meng heard that, she immediately raised her sleeves, buried her face in them, and knelt on the ground. If she had delayed a little longer, she would have burst out laughing.

Fortunately, the wide sleeves in ancient times hid everything, so she completely concealed her face and laughed until tears filled her eyes inside the sleeves.

"Are you laughing?" Wu Linxuan's voice was extremely angry and frightening.

Lu Meng's back trembled, and she used her robe sleeves to cover her face, pinched her thigh hard, then started crying from both pain and laughter.

She lifted her head, her face completely flushed, tears filling her eyes, and she appeared like a beautiful but sad figure that evoked sympathy from everyone.

"Your Highness, I feel the pain for you..."

Lu Meng sniffed, stood up, set the ladle aside, and said, "I think it's over now, Your Highness. Change your clothes and check the situation. If there is still an injury, the royal physician should be summoned..."

Wu Linxuan pursed his lips, then flicked the corner of his robe with his hand, splashing water droplets onto both of their faces, causing Lu Meng to fall silent immediately.

She hunched her shoulders, feeling the anger that had once again been stirred in the male protagonist by the cold water, so she retreated cautiously.

She still feared the male protagonist might retaliate against her.

Of course, Lu Meng didn't remember whether the male protagonist in this book had ever hit the female lead, but she knew these literary works were old, and there were times when the male lead himself gouged out the female lead's eyes or caused her to miscarry.

Better safe than sorry.

Lu Meng retreated subtly, and when the numbness wore off from Wu Linxuan, he no longer felt the burning sensation there.

He began settling old scores with Lu Meng.

With each step Lu Meng retreated, Wu Linxuan advanced. With Lu Meng having nowhere else to retreat, their wet shoe tips were directly facing each other.

They could almost kiss just by tilting their heads. Fortunately, Wu Linxuan didn't reach out to press Lu Meng against the folding screen beside her, or else wouldn't that be a classic wall slam?

Lu Meng, oppressed by Wu Linxuan's imposing aura due to his height and status as the male lead, found it difficult to breathe. She resolved not to act tough when she should yield, immediately lowering her head as low as possible and taking the initiative to apologize, saying, "Your Highness, please calm down, I was wrong!"

"Hmph." Wu Linxuan sneered.

He realized that his beloved, Lu Meng, truly feared him. Since their wedding night, even a slight touch from him would send her scrambling in fear.

Yet he wasn't some ferocious beast. If she had married him, shouldn't she eagerly approach him, seeking his love? After all, within the palace walls, he held sway, and she even harbored ambitions of becoming his queen.

It wasn't surprising that Wu Linxuan thought this way. In this era, a woman's role was to serve her father and then her husband. If she didn't strive to win her husband's affection, how would she spend her days?

In Wu Linxuan's eyes, this woman wouldn't fear him so unless she had ulterior motives...

But he didn't know that his beloved Lu Meng had no ulterior motives; she simply wanted to express her affection for him in her own way.

So, he stared at her and asked, "What did you do wrong?"

Lu Meng immediately replied, "I did everything wrong!"

Wu Linxuan was surprised by her response, then narrowed his eyes and said, "Then you truly deserve severe punishment."

After hearing this, Lu Meng sat down directly on the ground.

Although she found the wet ground quite unpleasant, it seemed unavoidable.

Of course, she sat in a posture resembling kneeling, the kind of "sitting on all fours" that was popular online. Her new body was young, fresh, and tender.

This posture seemed like kneeling but wasn't really, anyway, Lu Meng didn't believe that Wu Linxuan could lift her skirt to see how she was sitting.

"Forgive me, my lord, I truly know I was wrong," Lu Meng said, using a line that was considered a classic in TV dramas.

Wu Linxuan looked down at Lu Meng's head from his high position, and he could see the bruises on her neck, which extended into her collar in a horrifying manner.

He had lost an important task because of these bruises. He had come here today to question and hold her accountable.

And this beloved woman of his, without any explanation, just knelt down and admitted her mistake... Was she still feeling nostalgic for the charming young man she left? Was she plotting against him?

Wu Linxuan thought of many ways to teach this woman a lesson, but it was important to get to the bottom of the matter.

So, he looked at Lu Meng's head and asked, "What's the matter with the bruises on your neck?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Meng immediately understood that this was what he came to ask about.

Lu Meng had no intention of hiding the matter from him. After all, transparency was considered her honesty as an employee. She needed to show him that they were on the same boat so that she could accept protection without guilt in the future.

So Lu Meng said, "This was done by me."

She looked up with tearful eyes and admiration at the male protagonist and said, "Sir, you reminded me this morning to prepare. At first, I didn't understand."

Then Lu Meng added, "But when we arrived outside the Empress Dowager's hall, the messengers did not come out for a long time, and the sun was scorching. I was feeling weak, fearing that prolonged kneeling would make me sick."

With skill, Lu Meng pulled the male protagonist into this context and said, "When I fell ill, I couldn't wake up early to light the candles for you."

"So I decided to fake an injury to my neck, hoping for leniency." Lu Meng said with fake sincerity, "But I didn't expect to actually faint."

That wasn't a lie; she had indeed fainted.

Then Lu Meng added after some thought, with professional flattery, "This is thanks to you, Sir. Without you, I wouldn't have understood the rules. But truly, if I met the Empress Dowager, you would have been blamed. They probably wouldn't want to see me again in their lives, which saves a lot of trouble."

"Your Highness, your prescience and far-sightedness are truly admirable, making me bow in respect."

Lu Meng employed all the idioms she had learned in junior high, unsure if she used them correctly, but she had flattered effectively, explained the situation, and now it was up to the male lead to decide and whether he could handle it.

Of course, Lu Meng didn't know that her reckless actions not only lost the advantage she had fought for from the male lead but also gave several princes leverage over him with evidence of his cruel behavior in bed.

Otherwise, Lu Meng would realize that her flattery hit the mark directly. No matter how she flattered today or in what manner, it was all pointless, and now Wu Linxuan was covered in mud.

He was just a muddy hoof that would kick at the slightest touch.

Upon hearing Lu Meng's words, Wu Linxuan's brow furrowed even tighter. Her explanation actually made sense, as she couldn't predict that the emperor would arrive just as she fainted, accompanied by a group of princes.

She couldn't predict that the emperor would be so furious to see her fainting due to the empress dowager's harassment and then "abused" by himself that he would leave in anger.

After all, the current emperor, Emperor Yan'an, was not one to show mercy.

His anger today was provoked by the Empress Dowager's audacity to confront him directly, and his own son's embarrassment.

Wu Linxuan pondered for a while before making a decision, unexpectedly bending down to personally help the fallen Lu Meng.

Even his demeanor was rather gentle; Lu Meng, feeling his gentleness might kill her, said, "If it's for self-preservation, how could I blame you?"

"You're right. Perhaps the Empress Dowager won't want to see you again in her lifetime."

Huh?

Lu Meng was initially terrified, but she discovered that the burnt "Prince" hadn't returned yet.

The two were too close, and according to the rule of main and supporting characters being close leading to intimacy, Lu Meng had nowhere to hide. She silently retracted her arm, wishing she could bury her head inside her ribcage, and said, "Please understand, my lord."

"Don't speak to me like that. Since you've married me, you're my wife."

Wu Linxuan smiled, truly an exceedingly handsome man, with eyes so gentle and a smile so captivatingly dangerous, it seemed as though he could lure people like pieces of meat.

Lu Meng lifted her head to look, but the shock was overwhelming. Her eyes were sparkling, but with stars, not stars, fortunately. He tried, but couldn't entice the outstanding employee who just wanted to salt her wounds.

At the same time, Lu Meng easily noticed the icy coldness in his eyes, sharp as an ice pick, seemingly intending to crack Lu Meng's skull open.

"Your Highness..." Lu Meng hesitantly uttered her thanks.

She thought to herself, "Don't think about deceiving me; at best, I'm just a concubine!"

In ancient times, wives had no rights, so what's the difference between a concubine and a servant? Can they sleep freely? And do they want to seduce me!

"Your Highness," Lu Meng, fearing she might be tempted by the man, tried to change the subject, saying, "I'll ask the maidservant to come and serve you in bathing and changing clothes."

Wu Linxuan looked at Lu Meng's expressions, finding no indication of a gap in her demeanor.

This woman is either truly foolish or has a terrifyingly deep and cunning mind, calculating to ruin his fortune...

Wu Linxuan wasn't in a hurry; the fox will eventually show its tail.

"Okay," he nodded.

Lu Meng retreated smoothly to the door to request the maid's service. She was also wet with water, so she changed her clothes as well.

While the protagonist was bathing, his clean clothes were not here, and the distance from here to his courtyard was ridiculously far. Luming knew that the protagonist didn't like her presence and putting her here, so she was quite happy with the peace.

But without the protagonist's clothes, someone had to go get them. So, Luming ordered the new maid, saying, "His Highness's clothes, shoes, and socks were completely wet just now, so let the maid go to the main courtyard to fetch some regular clothes for His Highness."

Indeed, Sin Ya was extremely shocked. She had been with Prince Jian for a long time, and the prince had always been a very reserved person... How could he really favor this lady who was once owned by the fourth prince, especially in broad daylight when he hurried back to the palace...

Sin Ya looked at Luming's beautiful face, which was always smiling attractively, and understood that the prince had indeed grown up and become a real man.

When Sin Ya was assigned to take care of the lady, she was initially worried because she thought the prince wanted her to watch over the lady, but now, it seemed that the prince really loved the lady.

In the future, the lady would be her mistress, and Sin Ya was happy for the lady's success.

Sin Ya bowed to Luming and sincerely said, "Congratulations to the lady on winning the prince's love."

Luming smiled gently and didn't quite understand.

Xin Ya quickly went to fetch Wu Linxuan's clothes. When Wu Linxuan finished bathing, he found no serious issues, just some slight redness, and his anger began to dissipate.

After bathing, as the sun was gradually setting, Lumeng asked about dinner and was told it was almost ready. However, after he left, Wu Linxuan returned and sat back at the table instead of leaving immediately.

He wanted to observe Lumeng a little more. Wu Linxuan was extremely suspicious, his mind filled with doubts and conflicts every day.

While bathing, he thought of many possibilities. He even suspected that this concubine intentionally burned him.

Even though he investigated her, what if she was just pretending in the governor's house?

Despite her mother's death, her father favoring concubines over his wife, and her elder sister leaving for the borders, as a weak woman, she survived the trials in the concubine's room until now. Who can say she has no sinister motives?

Is her weakness genuine, or just an act?

As Wu Linxuan pondered, Lumeng was thinking about what to eat tonight and why the hero hadn't left yet...

They had no common language; sitting like this was extremely awkward!

As is well known, an excellent employee won't get too close to their boss. Mainly because Lumeng won't flatter the ancient, and her vocabulary really isn't enough...

Fortunately, dessert was served before dinner.

Lumeng saw that it was red bean soup, which is delicious!

She quickly and eagerly said to the hero, "Sir, try this red bean soup, it's really delicious." After drinking, let's leave quickly.

Lumeng scooped some for the hero, ready to serve it to him.

But when Wu Linxuan saw the soup, his pupils suddenly dilated. Ha, he's shown his true colors!

Red bean soup is only consumed by couples after completing their marriage.

Turning his attention and making him stay here to bathe and change clothes to make the servants think they've completed their marriage!

After seeing the food, Lumeng ignored the hero and quickly drank some of her own red bean soup.

Then, after widening her eyes and frowning, she asked the maid serving the soup, "Why is this... raw?"

Xin Ya had an aunt-like smile.

Lumeng thought she had eaten a raw bean and turned to Wu Linxuan, asking, "Sir, what do you think? Is it raw or not?"

Wu Linxuan burst out laughing.

Great, not only was she cunning, but she also had illusions about having his child.

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