CH 22

Chapter 22: Ji Changbo

Living in the Tao Manor for a few days is not something that was easy to talk about. Tao Xinhe originally wanted to be like a family aunt who enjoys a happy life. Joking around with her husband, not thinking about any complicated affairs, and not caring about anything.

However, her father reluctantly withdrew from the study to greet her, and her younger siblings clung to her all the time. Mistress Hong also treated her more like a mother-in-law. She was so filial to her that she would even pay her respects every morning and evening. Gu Ningxi was even laughing at her, saying that the mistress of the Gu Mansion went to the Tao Manor to become a mother-in-law.

Tao Xinhe complained about it a couple of times, but she was in fact happy in her heart. She was in charge of the house affairs, and took care of them neatly and orderly. Her face was plastered with smiles all the time.

Although Gu Ningxi was neglected unintentionally, he was also moved by the fact that his lady really liked managing the house affairs. So he didn’t make anymore trouble. When he was free and bored, he would take the servants out of the manor by himself, and would often return after a while.

Qingfang knew that the master and her mistress had a quarrel, so she asked Shishu and Shihua to talk for a bit, and then quietly told Tao Xinhe:

“Those twins are cunning, and they swore to God that the master did not go to the Mo’s house at all. Madam, don’t worry about it.”

Tao Xinhe accepted the servant girl’s concern, but criticized her for her actions, forbidding her from asking her master’s whereabouts in the future.

This is the principle of doing things for decent people.

The tendency of slaves to act on their own must not be tolerated, if this continue there will be chaos in the Gu mansion in the future.

***

Both husband and wife returned to their mansion late at night on the fifth day of the lunar new year, though it was already the sixth day after they slept.

In the early morning, Gu Ningxi opened his eyes first, and admired the sleeping beauty in in front of him. He felt like it was a begonia curling up, with infinite elegance and beauty. The only problem was, he couldn’t see her appearance clearly.

Even when he tried to change his angle, and try to open the curtain to let the light shine on her face a bit, he still couldn’t see clearly. He just sighed and furrowed his eyebrows.

Tao Xinhe woke up, feeling sore all over, she then shyly pushed him angrily.

However, the man’s strong chest seemed to have a suction force attracting her. She couldn’t help rubbing the heat source under her palm until she noticed that Gu Ningxi’s lips were curved like a crescent moon. She then gave off an annoyed expression.

Not caring about getting angry with her husband, the silly little wife let him off with a “Hum”.

Tao Xinhe then urged Gu Ningxi to get up and get ready. They had to wait for Second Aunt Gu to come to the door. They are going to visit Jichangbo’s mansion together today.

***

Jichangbo Mansion has been standing tall for several generations, and it covers a vast area, which is dominated by the unique emptiness and roughness of the family of military generals.

Tao Xinhe who got off the carriage, found the whole place completely different from the late prime minister’s old Gu’s mansion with its large embossed gates. Gu Ningxi leaned into her ear and whispered: “Does my lady like big houses? Don’t worry this husband will earn well to get one for you.”

Cheng Jia, who wanted to marry Gu Runing, greeted them in person at the gate of the mansion. After waiting for a while, his face was a little red from the cold wind. Tao Xinhe gently pushed Gu Ningxi away, then took a closer look, and felt that the young man had thick eyebrows, big eyes, honest and gentle countenance. She then exchanged affirmative glances with Second Aunt Gu.

Gu Ningxi followed the designated location for the female relatives, but he was very polite, so he naturally stood side-by-side with Cheng Jia and listened to his introduction of the Jichangbo Mansion.

Tao Xinhe and Second Aunt Gu walked behind them, they were looking around unobtrusively. Admiring the inconspicuous and delicate details of this mansion.

The housekeeper enthusiastically led them to the main courtyard, saying that Ji Changbo had been waiting for a while.

Tao Xinhe went through the matters that she wanted to discuss with the man’s family again in her heart, and after the servant girl informed her and opened the curtain, she was already a step behind and was the last one to enter the main room.

After she entered the door, she saw a middle-aged man bowing to her husband as a common courtesy everytime officials meet.

He is not inferior to his husband at all. He had broad shoulders and strong waist. His muscles looked like they would be ripped out of his clothes. His demeanor is condensed and stern, and his temperament is sharp and powerful. This shining general is completely different from Gu Ningxi, who is as pure as an immortal and whose every gesture showed how well he was raised by his family.

Presumably this is Ji Changbo himself.

Sure enough, after he straightened up, he heard Cheng Jia respectfully say “Father, this is Madam Gu.”, he then turned his sharp eyes towards my way.

Tao Xinhe put on a polite smile, and quickly glanced at Ji Changbo’s honey-colored face.

She marveled in her heart. He had sword eyebrows, starry eyes, thin lips, and good looks. He seemed to have spent a lot of time waiting to greet them

Unexpectedly, Ji Changbo seemed to be in a trance. He was motionless and thoughtful, neither making a sound nor saluting, and the scene suddenly became a bit awkward.

Tao Xinhe couldn’t help thinking, is there something wrong with her attire? She frowned slightly. Gu Ningxi quickly took the opportunity to rush to her side. Then he stood beside her with his arms around her shoulders, and asked, “Sir?”

Ji Changbo Cheng Shicheng, thirty-two years old, it was supposed to be the age when a man most wanted to have a wife and a son, and also to make contributions. However, he was injured in the battlefield six years ago which affected his roots, And also caused him to be impotent.

Now he only have his three adopted sons to accompany him.

In the past six years, he had tried different kinds of medicine, acupuncture, massages, and even various folk remedies, such as sleeping with a woman, seeing all kinds of women, etc., but the thing below his navel are still standing still, without any reaction at all. So he had no choice but to accept his fate, thinking that his life will be like a dead tree, ignorant and unconscious. He can’t be a romantic at all.

However, today, at this very moment, there has been a change!

In Cheng Shicheng’s eyes, the strange woman in yellow clothes had eyes as bright as stars, lips as red as cherry blossoms, plump, moist, and slim, with a slender waist that could not be grasped. She was just dazzling.

More importantly, he felt a slight throbbing on his nether regions because of her. It was the long-lost throbbing. Cheng Shicheng couldn’t believe it, he didn’t know what to do.

Hearing Gu Sicheng’s voice deliberately reminding him, Cheng Shicheng woke up from his trance. He was feeling deeply embarrassed, and at the same time he realized the identity of the woman in front of him.

Madam Gu. Why, is she already someone else’s wife?

Cheng Shicheng closed his eyes and gritted his teeth, his cheeks stiff, both hands clenched into a fist. He then hit the side of his leg to remind himself not to lose his composure.

After all, there are others watching him. He adjusted himself within a few breaths, then replaced his expression with a polite smile, and said:

“Seeing Madam Gu is like seeing a goddess, and I was dazzled for a while, please forgive me.”

From childhood to adulthood, Tao Xinhe had heard others lament about the beauty of her second sister, and her third sister, but she rarely heard others compliment about her own appearance.

After marriage, she often gets admiration from her husband, but she doesn’t take it seriously, and regarded them as whispers inside the boudoir.

Hearing the exaggerated praise of Ji Changbo, whom she had never met before, Tao Xinhe didn’t think at all that he was sincerely admiring her appearance, but thought that he had other motives. She nervously guessed whether the man had some unspeakable particularities about this marriage, so he Head started on herself?

Everyone tacitly agreed to ignore the abnormalities of Ji Changbo’s behavior. The guests and host sat down separately. Tea and snacks were served to each other, and they slowly moved from innocuous topics such as weather and seasons to the specific details of the marriage between Cheng Jia and Gu Runing.

Gu Ningxi always felt that something was wrong, but he couldn’t see where Cheng Shicheng’s uncontrollable gaze was focused on, nor can he see that it was focused on Tao Xinhe’s figure.

Listening to a few people talking, there is seemed to be no problem at all, they seemed to be discussing about business. However, he just felt like he was sitting on pins and needles, and he just wanted to hide his wife.

Tao Xinhe felt that the conversation with Ji Changbo unexpectedly went smoothly. He allowed the woman’s party to play tricks, and even answered every request that they asked. He only sincerely inquired about some details, which made her feel that the doubts she had earlier were just her imagination.

Ji Changbo had been staring at her intently, his eyes are serious as if there is substance. Cheng Jia would watch and listen carefully when she spoke as well. Tao Xinhe was a little uncomfortable, resisting the urge to bow her head and turn around. She tried her best to maintain her demeanor.

Most civil servants she met at the banquet did not look directly at the female family members of other families. They would always set their eyes elsewhere to show respect. However, seeing that Sir Ji Chang and his son were like this, she didn’t feel any malice. She thought that maybe the generals were more straightforward and didn’t pay attention to etiquette at all, so she forced herself to ignore it.

Even as he was talking, Tao Xinhe gradually looked directly at Ji Changbo, with a clear conscience.

She soon discovered that this was very convenient, she could roughly judge the direction of the man’s next sentence from the expression in his eyebrows and eyes, and she felt more confident of winning this conversation until she finally agreed to leave the house.

Tao Xinhe sighed happily with her husband, it was rumored that Sir Ji Chang was approachable, and seeing him, she felt that he was even worse than that. She had lived up to the second aunt’s entrustment during this trip, and the follow-up will probably go smoothly.

Gu Ningxi embraced her, and was rubbed and loved by him for a long time.

What she didn’t notice was that behind them, in Ji Changbo’s mansion, Cheng Shicheng was still staring at the place where Madam Gu had sat. He was silent for a long time like a mountain, and his heart was boiling hot.