The Demon Venerable Is Delicate and Charming (GL) Chapter 73

“Madam, what are you looking at?”
Li Lingjiang stood in the corridor. After a few slow seconds, she raised her eyes toward the figure standing in the snow. When she lifted her hand slightly, she understood that she had not completely left yet.
“I am looking at…”
Li Lingjiang’s eyes trembled. Standing in the snow was someone she knew very well. At that moment, that person was holding someone else, and it looked very intimate.
It was Yin Wu.
The maid beside her was still comforting her. “Please do not be too sad, Madam. This is not the first day Young Master has been like this. He insisted on marrying a woman from the pleasure houses. One look at her and you know she is not from a good family.”
Li Lingjiang tucked her hands into her sleeves and worked hard to digest the information. Judging by the way the maid addressed her, she should be the lawful wife, and not a favored one.
She sighed silently. “It is fine. Since Young Master does not care for me, let it be.”
The maid stamped her foot, unwilling to accept it. “If only you could give birth to a little young master. You have taken so much medicine. Why has there still been no movement in your belly?”
Li Lingjiang was silent.
“Perhaps it is…” the other person’s problem.
She pinched the space between her brows. Her hands were ice cold. “My luck is poor, that is all.”
Li Lingjiang looked up at Yin Wu. Her hands gradually clenched tighter. “Since Young Master is busy, I will not disturb him.”
She turned to leave. The cold weather seemed to make even her brows and eyes grow colder.
“Hiss.” Li Lingjiang drew in a small breath. She looked at her shoes in confusion. Just as she was about to bend down, the band around her waist tightened until she could hardly breathe.
Li Lingjiang tapped her toe. “What is going on with these shoes?”
The maid did not understand. “What is wrong, Madam? This is a method for seeking a child. There are twenty blunt nails in the shoes. If you endure it for one hundred days, you will surely become pregnant.”
“…And my waist?”
“It is medicinal cloth. Wrapping it around your belly is good for you and raises the chance of conception.” The maid looked very nervous. “Are you uncomfortable somewhere, Madam? Why do you not even remember this?”
Li Lingjiang was so shocked by this method that she could not speak for a long while. Though the blunt nails would not pierce the skin, walking on them would be absolute torture. She drew a breath inward and lifted her hand slightly. “Nothing.”
She frowned faintly, straightened herself, and looked toward Yin Wu. Their gazes happened to meet. She did not know if it was an illusion, but she saw a trace of panic in the young immortal’s eyes.
The moment Yin Wu opened her eyes, someone was hugging her. She looked down and saw a spread of spring-like exposure. Wearing so little in this weather was difficult enough. The problem was that the woman was clinging delicately to her neck, acting spoiled, and rubbing against her. Yin Wu impatiently pulled her away and immediately searched for Li Lingjiang. By terrible coincidence, Li Lingjiang had been there the whole time.
For some reason, Yin Wu was afraid Li Lingjiang would misunderstand.
“Young Master!” the concubine complained sweetly. One of her hands had been pulled away and held up by Yin Wu, so she reached for Yin Wu’s collar with the other. “You hurt me. The night is still young. Stay with me, please…”
“Stay for what? Go play by yourself.” Yin Wu forced down her irritation, pushed the woman away, and strode toward Li Lingjiang.
The concubine stared after Yin Wu in shock, then immediately began sobbing. “Young Master, did I…”
Hearing that, Yin Wu instantly turned back and looked at her, stopping in place with no expression. “You did nothing wrong. Stop looking for trouble. Say one more word and get out.”
Yin Wu had not even cried yet. How could this woman be better at acting than she was?
After saying that, Yin Wu jogged to Li Lingjiang’s side. As soon as she came near, she heard the maid’s excited voice. “Madam, Young Master is here!”
Madam?
So Li Lingjiang was her wife.
Li Lingjiang looked at her without much emotion, hands tucked into her sleeves.
Yin Wu moved closer and asked, “Are you cold?”
The maid had already tactfully left. Yin Wu tested the temperature of Li Lingjiang’s palm and said unhappily, “Let us find a place first. Why does it have to be this weather? And what place is this?”
“I do not know.” Li Lingjiang withdrew her hand. She lowered her eyes, then reached out to straighten Yin Wu’s collar. She seemed to be smiling. “Why did you come over?”
Her fingertip lightly slid over Yin Wu’s chest, moving down bit by bit, pressing flat a crease. “I thought you were going to chat for a while.”
Yin Wu held her fingers. She breathed out. When she raised her eyes again, tears already shone in them. “Her scent was too strong. I did not like it. Besides, I needed to find you.”
Li Lingjiang tried to pull free but failed. She gave an “oh.” In the next second, Yin Wu hugged her and rubbed against her neck. “Are you angry?”
Li Lingjiang found it funny. She raised her hand and rested it on Yin Wu’s shoulder. “Why would I be angry?”
Yin Wu’s voice was muffled. “Angry that I did not come find you right away. She only talked too much, and I wanted to hear some information.”
The young immortal’s arms tightened a little more. Li Lingjiang drew in a faint breath. “The lawful wife is not favored and likely has no children.”
She patted Yin Wu once. “Let go. It hurts.”
Yin Wu released her at once and looked her up and down. “Where are you uncomfortable?”
Li Lingjiang shook her head. She touched her lower back and explained the extra things on her body. Yin Wu frowned with displeasure, even holding back her tears. “What nonsense is that?”
“The problem should be here. She wants a child too badly.”
Li Lingjiang tried to step forward. Before her foot landed, Yin Wu lifted her into her arms. Li Lingjiang smoothly hooked an arm around the young immortal’s neck. She did not struggle, only said, “Put me down.”
Her eyes were lowered. Her clothes were a proper dark green, and her hair had been neatly pinned up. The tassels swayed lightly. With her eyes lowered like this, she had an indescribable charm.
“Why should I put you down? It hurts too much.”
Yin Wu even lifted her a little higher, making Li Lingjiang tighten her hold. “Then walk faster. Carrying me is tiring.”
The young immortal curved her lips. “You are cooperating with me now.”
Li Lingjiang glanced at her, then lowered her eyes again. Her voice softened. “As if you would let go just because I refused.”
“True.” Yin Wu strode forward. They did not need to search deliberately. A maid was waiting outside the main bedroom. Seeing Li Lingjiang being carried back, her eyes nearly vanished from her smile. She immediately opened the door and welcomed them in, then closed it again and told everyone else not to disturb them.
Yin Wu placed Li Lingjiang on the bed. As soon as she sat steady, her shoes were removed and thrown aside.
Yin Wu stood with hands on hips and stared at the shoes. “How can there be such an evil method? How much must this hurt? She is torturing herself.”
“For a child… to secure her position?” Li Lingjiang continued. She untied her robe. Her outer robe was half loosened, and when it slipped to her forearms, she suddenly paused. She circled one finger in the air, and Yin Wu obediently turned around.
Behind her came the sound of clothes being removed, along with Li Lingjiang’s faint inhale as she unwound the bandages.
It seemed deliberate, yet not deliberate.
Li Lingjiang threw away the cloth. After dressing again, she sat cross-legged and was just about to call Yin Wu when there was movement outside. Someone slapped the door hard. “Young Master, Madam, please let this old servant in.”
The two looked at each other. Yin Wu silently opened the door. Several people entered one after another and stood in a row like door guardians. The leading nanny smiled. “Young Master, the old rule.”
Yin Wu asked, “What?”
“When you and Madam share pleasure, we must stay beside you. Please begin.”
Yin Wu was silent.
Li Lingjiang was silent too.
“…What?” Yin Wu struggled to process the words. Before she could react, she was pushed onto the bed, and even the curtains were pulled shut.
“Young Master, Madam, begin. We will only watch and will not disturb you.”
Li Lingjiang sucked in a cold breath. She shrank inward and pushed Yin Wu with her hand, shaping the words silently: “Handle it, Young Master.”
Yin Wu was speechless. “I…”
She coughed lightly, her words full of anger. “Since when do I need you to supervise me?”
The nanny did not panic at all and calmly retorted, “Each time, you last only a quarter hour. This is very bad for continuing the family line. We need Young Master to last a little longer, and Madam must work hard too. Do not forget what this old servant taught you.”
Even Li Lingjiang could not help falling silent. So not only was this man a womanizer, he was also… weak in bed.
Yin Wu yanked open the curtain and stormed out. Her mind turned quickly, and the words reached her mouth in an instant. “I asked a master to calculate it. Today is the day it will surely succeed. If you stay here, you will spoil the fortune instead. Please wait outside today. If anything is wrong, you can come in at once.”
Hearing that a master had calculated it, the women were shaken. After thinking that one day would not matter, they hesitated for a moment, then still walked out.
Only the two of them were left in the room.
Yin Wu strode over, bent down to look at Li Lingjiang, and lowered her voice. “We need to make some noise and fool them for now. You come down.”
“Are you going to shake the bed?”
Li Lingjiang calmly stepped barefoot onto the floor. “The books all say that is how it is done.”
Yin Wu smiled helplessly at her and nodded softly. “You know too much.”
“Are you laughing at me?” Li Lingjiang was not annoyed. She stepped on the discarded cloth and supported herself on the table. “Hurry. I feel time moves much faster here. It is already night.”
Yin Wu reached out and shook the bed. Listening to the creaking, she was speechless for a long while. “Should you perhaps…”
Li Lingjiang raised her eyes and looked at her with a warning in them.
The young immortal immediately shut up and worked hard without complaint. Li Lingjiang supported herself on one foot and hooked her leg with the top of her other foot. She watched Yin Wu’s back, thoughts unknown. After some time, she suddenly raised a hand to take her own pulse and check the condition of her body.
Confusion and surprise appeared in her eyes.
It had actually improved a great deal.
“Madam, it is time to rise.” The nanny looked very satisfied with the night’s noise. Yin Wu had continued for a full two hours before stopping.
Li Lingjiang opened the door. “I am up.”
Yin Wu followed behind her, shielding her loosely. She placed a cloak over Li Lingjiang’s shoulders, her tone sinking. “What is it?”
The nanny was neither humble nor overbearing. “Madam should go to the ancestral hall. Today’s Women’s Virtue has not yet been recited.”
Li Lingjiang lifted her head and half narrowed her eyes. She gently pushed Yin Wu away, then turned back and said softly, “I will come back in a while.”
After that, she followed them. The ancestral hall was not large, and the spirit tablets were packed close together. As soon as she entered, a rod came down, forcing her to kneel and recite before the painting of Women’s Virtue.
The nanny’s voice rose and fell. “Rule one of Women’s Virtue: do not disobey your husband’s rules.”
“Rule two of Women’s Virtue: do not go against your husband’s wishes.”
“Rule three of Women’s Virtue: do not fail to bear children for three years.”
“Rule four of Women’s Virtue: if your husband casts you out, do not object.”
“Rule four…”
Li Lingjiang frowned at the so-called Women’s Virtue, then laughed once. She kept her back straight and listened to the emotionless recitation. Everything around her seemed like a cage trapping her hands and feet. Above her head hung a strip of white silk, swaying with the movement of her heart.
Her robe hem spread open, and dark red blood kept creeping over it, like the pain and complaints of countless days and nights.
Li Lingjiang suddenly understood the whole matter. An unfavored lawful wife, suppressed by a concubine, forced to suffer child-seeking torments every day, and made to absorb these so-called virtues.
The suffering was beyond words.
She had no control over her own life.