I Went Into A Hot Spring

The initial plan was to set off to the war site immediately, but thanks to Xiao Yue and her manor residents, Long Zhao Feng had to re-route. They arrived at their destination close to dinner time. It was an estate about half the size of Long residence, but it was surrounded by an abundant patch of land, allowing for expansion shall the owner wished to do so.

After riding for more than ten hours, all of them were extremely exhausted, especially the maids and servants who were not used to riding at all. Judging from the distance, it should not have taken horse riders more than six hours to complete the distance, but they were tagging along with inexperienced riders. As a result, Long Zhao Feng's soldiers who were well versed in riding often failed to slow down their speed and had to stop a few times to wait for the rest of the group to catch up.

After hugging Long Zhao Feng for more than ten hours, Xiao Yue too was exhausted. Chun Ya's body was not used to strenuous physical activity so her body was sore at many places. The loving husband carried her off the horse with one swift movement into his arms and together they entered through the gates.

A pair of guards quickly stepped aside when they saw who it was. No question was asked about the lady in his arms. This was the house assigned to 'General Long Zhao Xue' to serve as a resting place while he was expected to actively show up at the palace. The distance to the palace was barely twenty minutes of a horse ride.

'General Long Zhao Xue' split his time between his two residences. When he was really busy, he did not come home at all. The time between wars would be spent in this house instead of the main residence.

Naturally, this estate too employed its own guards and maids. Xiao Yue predicted as much. Since Xiao Yue did not want her maids and servants to be relocated to either the First Madam's or the Second Madam's manor, naturally this was the only option left. Xiao Yue was coming with Long Zhao Feng to the battlefield. The maids and servants had to stay somewhere safe.

The only light source outside of the main house was a few lanterns which were hung at each side of the entrance. The main hall entrance was already open for them. Long Zhao Feng must have notified his subordinates in time. Inside the main hall, the maids and servants felt out of place.

In their previous place of employment, they would be the ones greeting and serving the guests. In this new place, they were the ones being greeted and served. They were not used to it! This was too much of an honor! This would backfire as bad karma later on!

Long Zhao Feng did not immediately enter the main hall. With Xiao Yue still nestled in his arms, he spoke to the soldiers, "All of you, rest. Tomorrow we will depart."

"Yes, General!" they all shouted in unison.

The soldiers quickly dispersed, as it was not their first time in the house and they knew where to go and what to do to get some rest and food.

Long Zhao Feng turned around and entered the main hall. He gazed at the group of maids and servants who very much preferred kneeling to standing. If Long Zhao Feng had asked them to take a seat, they might die from a heart attack.

The general put Xiao Yue down on her feet, his hand accidentally or deliberately brushing down her body. Xiao Yue glared at him, but the man behind the mask did not seem to respond. What followed was a scream from the end of the main hall.

The group quickly turned their heads and found themselves staring at a voluptuous woman dressed in a skimpy sleeping gown.

"Long Zhao Xue!" she screamed at him. "Are you bringing home another girl??"

The maids and servants gaped at this brave woman who did not fear death. They all knew that the general was a womanizer but who dared spat out the truth at his face? This woman was seeking death! Xiao Yue could not help but present Long Zhao Feng with a sharp glare. The man had been taking his liberty to touch her all over since that incident in First Madam's manor. They were rightfully wedded husband and wife, and apparently the husband was hiding a lover in his other residence! Even if Xiao Yue was not bothered by it, she still had to maintain some face!

The woman walked to them in long strides. All the maids and servants quietly went out of the main hall. They knew to not be involved in the master's and mistress' private business, no matter how spicy it was.

With his hands at her hips, the woman sure looked more like the first wife than the First Madam herself. Xiao Yue's face darkened. She stood up properly and confronted the woman.

"Hmm?" the woman frowned at her for a while before staring at her with disdain.

"So it is that girl who sprained her leg. Is your leg eternally sprained now that he has to carry you around?"

Xiao Yue glared at her. What sprained leg? What the hell was this mad woman talking about? Before she could utter one curse word, Long Zhao Feng put a hand on her shoulder and stepped forward.

"Sister Hua, Chun Ya is now my wife. She is recovering from a sickness, please do not be too hard on her."

The so-called Sister Hua laughed.

"So the vixen managed to force you to marry her? A-Xue, don't you think you are too nice? At this rate, you will quickly add more women to your harem!"

Xiao Yue's face was already as black as the pot bottom. When a maid came over to inform them that the master bed-chamber had been prepared, she followed the maid without looking back at Long Zhao Xue. His hand thus fell unceremoniously from her shoulder as she stalked off.

The master bedroom was huge. The bedsheet had been replaced with a fresh one, and a new fluffy quilt was placed neatly at the bottom end. After spending the whole day on a horse, she was sweaty and dusty. She thus asked for a bath, and was told instead that the estate had a hot spring outside. Naturally, it was reserved for 'General Long Zhao Xue' only. Since Xiao Yue came as his wife, there should not be a problem if she used the hot spring.

A hot spring sounded wonderful. Xiao Yue did not bother asking for Long Zhao Feng's permission. The maid led her to the inner courtyard, where a steaming, hot spring was located. Up in the sky, the stars were starting to show.

"Please enjoy, Third Madam."

"Mmn."

Xiao Yue undid her hair and her long, inkjet black hair fell down her back smoothly. Xiao Yue originally had somewhat curly hair. Chun Ya on the contrary had perfectly straight hair with not a single hair out of line. Xiao Yue assumed that it was because her hair was well taken care of since childhood. Yu Fen still combed her hair a thousand strokes at night before bed.

The young woman slowly stripped her outer robe at the spring edge and took off layer after layer of clothing. The modest accessories that she wore at Yu Fen's insistence were taken off and casually dropped on the pile of clothes. Xiao Yue knew that Yu Fen would complain. Yu Fen always took care to tidy up Xiao Yue's clothes and accessories and planned what she was going to wear day by day meticulously.

Xiao Yue stepped into the spring with just her inner robe on. Her whole body was cold from the wind outside, so when the hot water first came in contact with her skin, she almost jumped out of the water for fear of scalding. After her body gradually heated up, Xiao Yue lazily leaned against the huge rocks and closed her eyes.  She breathed in the water vapor and sighed contentedly.

Languid footsteps accompanied by the rustling sound of armors being removed told Xiao Yue that Long Zhao Feng had come. Xiao Yue wanted to neither see nor talk to him. She forced herself to get up and scurry out of the hot spring, but Long Zhao Feng grabbed her wrist first and yanked her backward. The impact caused her to bump against Long Zhao Feng, who was wearing nothing but a bathrobe that was open at the chest area. Xiao Yue's almost naked body was thus pressed against Long Zhao Feng's broad, warm chest.

"Why are you in a rush, Third Madam?"

Xiao Yue said nothing. She pushed at Long Zhao Feng. Her open palms pressed against Long Zhao Feng's toned chest and slid down his defined torso. The touch was electrifying. Xiao Yue's eyes were round as the moon.

Xiao Yue's face felt so hot that she was sure steam was rising on top of her head. The young woman quickly took her hand off Long Zhao Feng.

If she was not too busy with her own thoughts, she would realize that she too appeared rather seductive with her wet inner robe sticking to her body like a second skin, accentuating her delicate curves. Additionally, her loose inner robe was torn open during the scuffle just now.

The jut at Long Zhao Feng's throat bobbed up and down when he saw Xiao Yue's half-exposed cleavage, the twin mounds hiding shyly behind the thin fabric. The exposed skin extended to her navel, just above the water surface.