CFB Chapter 146

Translator – Xiao He Lian

This is a translation hosted on KnoxT, copies found elsewhere are either stolen or plagiarized. Please support the translator by reading it at KnoxT.

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Chapter 146: Zhou Shu’an x Shen Shu 9

 

Shen Shu hid the “occasional worries” she spoke of very well. Everything seemed as usual. She remained close to him, only that each time things reached a critical moment, she would always find an excuse to avoid it.

At first, Zhou Shu’an didn’t think much of it. But after half a month passed, he began to feel that something wasn’t quite right.

One day, in the middle of an intimate moment, he tasted a trace of medicine on her lips. It was faint and mingled with a hint of mint.

Suspicious, he asked with a smile if her lack of enthusiasm lately was because she was unwell.

She said no.

But for someone like Zhou Shu’an, the Minister of the Dali Temple, a single detail or inconsistency was enough.

The next day, Zhou Shu’an returned home and went straight to the kitchen. He dismissed the other servants, keeping only Qingli and Yuzhu, who had recently been serving in the inner courtyard.

Zhou Shu’an got straight to the point, “Has Madam been ill lately?”

Qingli’s expression stiffened, then she quickly denied it. “No… no such thing.”

Yuzhu echoed her denial.

Zhou Shu’an turned his head toward the medicine pouch in a bamboo basket, bent down to pick it up, and said sternly to Yuzhu, “Go call a physician.”

Qingli hurriedly protested, “Madam really isn’t sick.”

Zhou Shu’an pinched a bit of the powdered medicine, brought it to his nose, and sniffed it lightly. “Speak. What’s going on?”

Qingli, standing in the corner, took a deep breath.

—

The next day, at the Dali Temple.

Zhou Shu’an summoned Assistant Minister Song Ze to a side hall and asked in a low voice, “Lord Song, you have good connections. Even a physician from so far away could be brought into the capital?”

Others might not understand his meaning, but how could Song Ze not? He knew perfectly well that it was his wife who had arranged for a doctor for Zhou’s wife.

Song Ze had been an assistant minister for twelve years, always seeking a chance for promotion—and he saw this as it.

After all, what man truly didn’t want a child?

Song Ze was inwardly pleased and replied respectfully, “Please rest assured, my lord. I’ve already told my wife not to speak of this again.”

Zhou Shu’an replied, “This is my household matter. There’s no need for Lord Song to get involved.”

Song Ze was startled and immediately bowed deeply. “It was my wife who overstepped.”

Zhou Shu’an said word by word, “I appreciate your wife’s intentions—but just this once.”

Song Ze quickly responded, “Understood.”

Zhou Shu’an handed him a few case files. “You may go.”

At noon, Zhou Shu’an personally went to the Meiyuan Theater to watch a play.

As soon as he entered the garden, a burly man wearing a gray headscarf and carrying a stage spear stepped forward. “My lord, are you here to watch a performance?”

Zhou Shu’an nodded lightly.

“This way, my lord.” The man set the spear aside and smiled. “Which play would you like to see?”

“The Tale of Ling’er.”

Zhou Shu’an entered the courtyard, sat down, leaned back, and silently watched the performance.

During the play, several maids entered with tea.

Onstage, the unfaithful man kept calling the heroine “cousin.”

The girl named Lingling wept behind her hands.

The red curtain fell and rose again. Lingling cried out, “Mother, I don’t want to live with him anymore. I want a divorce.”

The old woman replied, “Ling’er, our family is already destitute. If you leave him, where will you go?”

Cousin, divorce, remarriage, no child…

Zhou Shu’an set down his teacup, flexed his stiff fingers, and stood.

So that was it…

Shortly after, the burly man came over with a smiling face. “Was the play to your liking, my lord? Would you like to hear another?”

Zhou Shu’an had his aide Chu Yi give the man a large sum of money.

The man was surprised. “My lord—what is this for?” Then, thinking further, he dropped to his knees. “My lord, the actresses here, though low-born, sell their art, not their bodies. We’re just trying to survive…”

“You misunderstand,” Zhou Shu’an said slowly. “I’m buying this play.”

The man looked puzzled.

Zhou Shu’an said, “From now on, no matter who asks, this play shall not be performed in Meiyuan again. If this money isn’t enough, come to me. Stand up.”

The man looked at the dark purple robe on Zhou Shu’an’s body, heart pounding. “It’s enough, more than enough. Don’t worry, my lord. I’ll even burn the script.”

Zhou Shu’an smiled. “Thank you.”

The man bowed deeply. “It’s an honor, my lord.”

After watching the play, Zhou Shu’an returned home. When he entered the inner chamber without announcing himself, he saw Shen Shu drinking medicine.

She put down the bowl and said gently, “You’re home early, my lord.”

Zhou Shu’an sat beside her, gaze heavy, lips tightly pressed. After a long pause, he said, “You don’t need to care what outsiders say.”

From his expression, Shen Shu guessed that he must have found out about the spring banquet incident.

Zhou Shu’an looked at the bowl beside her. “You don’t need to drink this anymore.”

Shen Shu’s fingertips twitched. “Do you think I’m taking this medicine because of Princess Qi?”

Zhou Shu’an didn’t answer—just looked at her.

Shen Shu leaned forward, hugged his waist, and said softly, “If I really cared about those things, neither the Qi princess nor the Kangning princess would’ve gotten the better of me at that banquet. You know my nature—I’m not someone who suffers in silence. Whatever they say, it doesn’t get to me.”

“No one can force me to do what I don’t want to.”

Zhou Shu’an took her hand. “No one can.”

Shen Shu suddenly choked up. “It’s me. It was my decision. It has nothing to do with anyone else, Zhou Rongjing[mfn](His childhood name)[/mfn]—it was me.”

Zhou Shu’an was stunned.

After a long pause, he placed a hand behind her shoulder and pulled her close. “Then why hide it from me?”

Leaning against his shoulder, Shen Shu said, “I have some pride in front of you. Who knew Lord Zhou was so perceptive…” Her voice softened. “Not perceptive—just unromantic…”

Zhou Shu’an chuckled. “My fault.”

He picked up the bowl from the table, scooped a spoonful, blew on it, and held it to her lips. “Let me feed you.”

She tried to take the spoon. “I’m not so weak I can’t feed myself.”

Zhou Shu’an firmly held the spoon. “Shu Shu, this is something for both of us.”

Her pupils trembled slightly at his words.

After a while, she opened her lips.

Zhou Shu’an fed her spoon by spoon.

As the medicine went down, for some reason, her eyes turned red.

A teardrop fell into the bowl with a soft “plop.”

She slowly looked up at him and murmured, “Why couldn’t we have met sooner…”

Zhou Shu’an brushed her tears away. “We still have a long life ahead.”

She smiled. “But Lord Zhou is already in his thirties…”

Zhou Shu’an laughed, eyes full of joy. “So you think I’m old.”

—

That night, Shen Shu sat at her vanity, removing her earrings.

The candle was still burning when Zhou Shu’an came up behind her and embraced her waist. Shen Shu pushed his hand gently. “Let’s wait a little longer.”

“It’s been half a month,” he murmured against her neck, skillfully undoing her inner robe. “Shu SHu, which quack told you that drinking medicine alone would help you conceive?”

His kisses made her body weak. Just as she tried to argue, he tilted her chin up and sealed her lips.

His tongue traced her lips, his hands lifting her waist, walking them toward the bed.

Her soft-soled silk shoes were tossed aside.

Dark hair, loose skirts, and a crumpled scarlet belly band lay discarded by the couch.

The wind howled outside, tousling her hair.

Sweat beaded on her delicate skin, her limbs trembled with emotion, and she quivered under him.

She gasped. He laughed.

Exhausted, Shen Shu mumbled, “Husband, blow out the candle.”

Zhou Shu’an got up.

The flame died. Moonlight poured in.

Shen Shu rested against his chest, long hair splayed across the pillow.

He absentmindedly twirled a strand of her hair. His voice was low and rich. “If I had known… I should’ve just stolen you away from the start.”

Shen Shu smiled with eyes closed. “You really dare say anything, Lord Zhou.”

Zhou Shu’an kissed her eyes.

If not for caring about your reputation, I wouldn’t have just said it…

As his breathing slowed, Shen Shu asked again, “I often wonder—is Chang’an too small?”

Zhou Shu’an answered seriously, “You’ve just been to too few places. Once you travel more, you’ll see how vast and bustling Chang’an really is. It has 110 districts—”

Before he finished, Shen Shu looked up with a sly smile. “Then how come no matter where I go, I always run into you?”

Only then did Zhou Shu’an realize what she meant by “small.”

He sighed. “Sometimes it’s just coincidence.”

Shen Shu pursed her lips and closed her eyes again.

This man… really never stops scheming against me.

—

She finally conceived two years later—again in spring, just after Zhou Shu’an’s birthday.

Because Shen Shu had always had irregular cycles, she didn’t suspect anything until two months had passed, and a gut feeling told her—something was off.

Very off.

She immediately called for a doctor.

The physician smiled and said, “Madam is indeed pregnant.”

Shen Shu’s mouth opened in shock, silent for a long while. She took two deep breaths. “Really?”

“Absolutely.”

“But why… don’t I have any morning sickness?”

“Not everyone does.”

This pregnancy made Shen Zhen jealous—she could eat fish and meat freely without a hint of nausea.

Not only didn’t she lose weight, she gained a lot.

At seven months, Zhou Shu’an foolishly commented, “You’ve gotten rounder, madam.”

He received three days of cold shoulder for that.

After that, Zhou Shu’an never dared to anger her again.

When their daughter Zhou Xuhan was born, he finally relaxed.

She looked like both of them—very pretty.

Shen Wenqi held the child with tears in his eyes, reluctant to let go.

—

Time passed like a flicker outside the window. Shadows shifted across the seats as flowers bloomed.

Five years went by in a flash.

In the peak of summer, the sun hung high, white clouds drifted lazily, and the pond shimmered like golden flecks scattered from the sky. Dragonflies danced, cicadas chirped low.

Shen Shu sat by the pond, tossing fish food. The red carp gathered. She stirred the water.

Zhou Xuhan came running. “Mother, Mother, do you want to see my writing?”

Shen Shu turned and smiled. “Let me see.”

Xuhan opened a wrinkled paper for her. Shen Shu inhaled, exasperated. “Your writing is worse than your uncle’s back in the day.”

Xuhan frowned. “But Father said it looked good.”

Shen Shu lifted her lips. “You’d best not trust your father’s words too much…” He’s always fooling you.

Zhou Shu’an returned home from court to this very scene.

One tall, one small.

He walked over and helped Shen Shu up. “You’re pregnant—why are you sitting on the ground?”

“It’s summer. The stone is warm…”

Xuhan waved his paper. “Father, look! Mother said it’s ugly—even worse than uncle’s!”

Zhou Shu’an glanced at it and casually said, “Improved. Better than last night.”

Xuhan pouted and clutched his robe. “But… it’s the same one as last night.”

Zhou Shu’an instinctively rubbed his nose.

Shen Shu laughed softly.

The once cold Zhou residence had completely changed. The dry pond now teemed with fish. The once-lonely man now had a wife and children.

As the evening breeze passed, he walked with Shen Shu through the courtyard.

They chatted casually.

Midway, Zhou Shu’an stopped, kissed her forehead under the moonlight.

Leaves rustled. Water rippled.

I once regretted missing your budding youth, but later I thought—four years is short, and the rest of life is long.

For the decades ahead, we begin again—from the start.

 

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