Prince Bei Jing of the Red Chamber, starting from saving Qin Keqing

As we chatted, the sky outside the window gradually brightened, and a red sun was about to burst forth, casting dappled light and shadows through the window screen.

Shui Rong glanced out the window, then looked away with a faint, enigmatic smile playing on her lips. She spoke gently:

The Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic states: "Spring brings forth life, summer fosters growth, autumn harvests, and winter stores away." In winter, the yang energy is drawn inward, and to unblock the meridians, one must take advantage of the right time. For example, the rising sun is precisely the time when the body's yang energy is generated, and treatment at this time will be twice as effective with half the effort.

Upon hearing this, Wang Xifeng paused slightly in her teacup, glanced at him, and her eyes sparkled with a mischievous glint:

"Oh, Your Highness is knowledgeable in these medical arts? I originally thought that Your Highness, as a military general, only knew some external martial arts like massage and acupressure to relax muscles and tendons."

Upon hearing this, Shui Rong laughed heartily, his laughter deep and pleasant, carrying a confident magnetism: "Although my knowledge is eclectic, I have read quite a few medical books in order to improve my health. If Sister Feng doesn't believe me, she'll see today how much I know."

He suppressed his smile, his expression becoming more serious: "Sister Feng, please rest for a while. You can move to the warm pavilion in the back room—the place where I massaged you last time. I'll go get some ointment and come back shortly after."

The moment the word "treatment" was uttered, both of them froze, as if the air itself had solidified. The allure and intimacy of the warm chamber instantly flooded their minds.

Wang Xifeng's cheeks flushed instantly, her eyes lowered, her fingers twisting her handkerchief, her voice barely audible: "Yes...yes, Your Highness."

Upon seeing this, Shui Rong's heart fluttered, and he quickly rose to take his leave. As soon as he stepped out of the warm pavilion, a biting cold wind blew in his face, causing him to shiver, but his mind cleared somewhat. He took a deep breath, trying to suppress the restless anger in his heart.

"Master, are you alright?" Zhao Zhong asked as soon as he saw that the prince's face was slightly flushed and his forehead was covered in sweat.

"It's nothing." Shui Rong waved his hand, glancing intently at the direction of the inner room. "The underground heating in the manor is on high today, and I'm feeling a bit hot. Zhao Zhong, you keep an eye on the house. The manor is closed to guests today. No one is allowed to enter the inner courtyard without my written order."

Zhao Zhong, being so perceptive, instantly understood the deeper meaning and quickly bowed, replying, "This servant understands, Your Majesty, please rest assured."

Shui Rong nodded and turned to walk into the inner room.

At this moment, the heated floor in the inner room was already glowing red, and the room was filled with steam and moisture, as if one were in the misty rain of Jiangnan.

Shui Rong took off his heavy outer robe and casually draped it over a clothes rack. Wearing only a moon-white inner garment, he slowly walked inside.

On the other side, Wang Xifeng, also filled with trepidation, slowly moved towards the warm pavilion.

The thought of the tingling and pleasurable sensation of Shui Rong's large hands roaming over her body last time made her legs go weak. Coupled with the absurd scene in her dream last night, she felt utterly ashamed.

As soon as she stepped into the outer room, she saw Shui Rong's robes neatly folded beside the bed. Wang Xifeng's heart skipped a beat, remembering that last time she had only worn a thin undergarment, but this time she was wrapped up tightly. Her eyes darted around, and a strange "mischievous pleasure" suddenly arose in her heart.

She did not undress in the outer room, but went straight to lift the beaded curtain of the inner room and went inside.

Shui Rong was making the bed with her back to her when she heard footsteps and turned around. Seeing Wang Xifeng enter wearing a bright red brocade jacket, she frowned slightly and said gently, "Why did you come in wearing winter clothes, Sister Feng? The underfloor heating in the room is very strong. Wearing this, you might get heatstroke. Go out quickly and take off your thick clothes."

Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, Wang Xifeng stood still, instead raising her pretty face slightly, her eyes filled with a hint of innocence and cunning, her voice soft and sweet: "Your Highness, you don't know, these buttons are fastened too tightly, this servant... oh no, this servant can't undo them for a moment."

As she spoke, she deliberately pretended to untie the knots in front of Shui Rong, her fingers slender, yet she couldn't untie the intricate knots no matter what she did.

Helpless, Shui Rong had no choice but to walk over. Just as he reached out to unbutton the intricate knots at her collar, Wang Xifeng suddenly slipped, cried out in surprise, and fell backward limply.

Shui Rong instinctively reached out to help, but by sheer coincidence, Wang Xifeng bumped right into his arms.

In an instant, I was surrounded by the warmth and softness of her body.

Wang Xifeng's voluptuous figure pressed against Shui Rong's chest without reservation. Through two thin layers of clothing, he could clearly feel the amazing elasticity and burning heat emanating from her body; the soft touch instantly made his whole body stiffen.

At the same time, Wang Xifeng also clearly felt the change in the person in her arms.

Her face instantly turned bright red, her heart pounded like a drum, and her hands instinctively pressed against Shui Rong's chest, trying to prop herself up, but she was also tempted by his firmness and warmth, and her movements slowed down.

Shui Rong felt a surge of heat rush to his head; it was a primal male impulse that almost broke through his rational defenses.

"The rest... I'll leave it to Sister Feng to handle." Shui Rong abruptly turned around, his back to her, his voice slightly hoarse and breathless. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and forcibly suppressed the wild beast within him, afraid that if he looked at her any longer, he might do something out of line.

Their breaths mingled, their scents mingling with the ambergris, filling the small space and making one feel slightly dizzy.

He snapped back to his senses, inwardly exclaiming "What a sin!" He hurriedly grabbed Wang Xifeng to support her, but his hands uncontrollably slid down her shoulders to untie the cumbersome ties of her outer robe. His movements were so quick and somewhat rough that they revealed a hint of his desperate attempt to escape.

Seeing that she had achieved her goal, Wang Xifeng smiled inwardly and dared not provoke her further, lest she really anger this "Buddha" and cause a mess. She obediently responded and took her outer robe to the outer room.

Although she had shed her heavy winter clothes, out of a woman's sense of shame, Wang Xifeng did not treat him as openly as before. Instead, she changed into a close-fitting lotus-colored casual jacket and matching embroidered trousers before entering.

Shui Rong turned around, his gaze falling on her. His brows furrowed almost imperceptibly, but then relaxed, and his expression returned to that of a doctor with composure: "Today's massage, in addition to clearing the meridians from last time, also requires an additional step—massaging the soles of the feet."

He paused, looking directly at Wang Xifeng, his tone calm yet firm: "I hope you know that this is not my wild idea, but as recorded in medical books, 'the feet are the root of vital energy, connecting the five internal organs and six bowels.' If the soles of the feet are blocked, the upper body will be difficult to heal."

Upon hearing this, Wang Xifeng's already flushed cheeks turned even redder, almost as if they were about to bleed. To have a man, especially one she admired, touch her most private and sensitive feet was even more embarrassing than a full-body massage.

"I...I'll take a look." After a long while, Wang Xifeng finally managed to utter these few words through gritted teeth, her voice barely audible.

Shui Rong nodded and handed over a medical book whose edges were already soaked with water vapor.

Wang Xifeng extended her slender, fair hands, trembling as she accepted the book, her gaze falling upon its pages. It was filled with densely packed, obscure medical texts, one line of which stood out particularly:

"...by clearing the Kidney Meridian of Foot-Shaoyin, massaging acupoints such as Yongquan and Taixi, and supplementing with massage of the Bladder Meridian of Foot-Taiyang, we can draw fire back to its source, thus strengthening the foundation, nourishing the vital energy, and harmonizing Yin and Yang..."

Looking at those technical terms, Wang Xifeng's heart pounded even faster. She knew that she probably couldn't avoid this hurdle.

Shui Rong's gaze slowly moved over Wang Xifeng, her voice low and soft, yet carrying an irresistible allure: "Sister Feng, you're wearing too much clothing."

Acupressure massage is all about the flow of Qi and blood. Through layers of fabric, the pressure can't penetrate, reducing its effectiveness. How about I give you a little massage and you can feel it for yourself?

As he spoke, he reached out and gently pressed his fingertips on the "Xuanji" acupoint below her collarbone. He only pressed lightly through her jacket and did not actually apply any force.

Wang Xifeng stiffened slightly, instinctively shrinking back. She looked up at him, her voice tinged with three parts wariness and seven parts suspicion: "What does Your Highness mean? Why... do you feel no pain at all?"

Shui Rong's lips curved slightly, her smile gentle and harmless, but a dark glint flashed in her eyes: "Naturally, it's because we're too far apart. Acupressure massage is meant to be done close to the body. We tried it last time, and you yourself said that your whole body felt much more active afterward, didn't you? Today, although your jacket is light, it's still a bit thick. The fabric obstructs the flow of energy, weakening it considerably. If Sister Feng trusts me, perhaps you could... reduce the obstruction a little?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Xifeng's ears instantly burned.

Of course she remembered the last "treatment"—Shui Rong's palms covered her waist and abdomen with just the right amount of force, yet it was terrifyingly precise. In just a short while, she felt the coldness that had accumulated over the years dissipate little by little, as if being peeled away from a cocoon, and she felt much lighter.

That feeling of comfort that seeped into her very bones still makes her heart flutter when she thinks about it.

But today… she looked down at the embroidered gold jacket she was wearing. Although it wasn’t thick, it was by no means thin either.

She bit her lip, but ultimately didn't respond immediately.

Shui Rong didn't urge her, but just looked at her quietly, her eyes so gentle they could almost drip with tenderness: "Treating an illness is like putting out a fire, it can't be delayed. If you hesitate any longer, I'm afraid that little bit of improvement will go back."

These words touched the softest spot in her heart.

Wang Xifeng was always a decisive person, and what she feared most was losing all her previous efforts. She took a deep breath, stood up abruptly, and said in a slightly stiff voice, "...Never mind, I'll go change."

After saying that, he turned and left the inner room.

A moment later, she returned.

She had changed into a snow-white, close-fitting undergarment, the material so thin it was almost transparent, and in the candlelight, the radiant glow of her skin could be faintly seen.

The undergarment was meant for summer, and it was cut very short, barely covering the mid-thigh. The hem swayed gently with each step, revealing two long, straight legs with ankles as delicate as mutton fat jade.

Her waist was already slender, and now that it was no longer bound by her outer garments, it appeared even more delicate and fragile.

Her form-fitting, light red silk dress clung tightly to her body, perfectly outlining the curves of her figure.

Her ample bosom, partially concealed by a thin veil, rose and fell gently beneath the fabric with her slightly hurried breathing, exuding a breathtakingly alluring softness.

Upon seeing this, Shui Rong's pupils suddenly contracted, and his breathing became noticeably heavier.

His gaze lingered on her for a moment, as if drawn by a magnet. Her snow-white neck, her barely visible collarbone, and her graceful curves all stirred his heartstrings.

He felt his throat was dry, and it took him a while to find his voice. He dared not look directly at her and could only look away slightly.

Wang Xifeng felt a surge of heat rising within her from his gaze, yet a secret sense of triumph stirred within her. She deliberately straightened her back, slowly turning around to reveal her slender back and profile to him, her voice laced with a provocative, coquettish tone: "Your Highness, is this... alright now?"