Extra 9: Do you think I'm old?

"It's a marriage granted by the Emperor, and it's useless even if he runs to the ends of the earth."

Song Lingyi picked up a porcelain spoon and scooped up a spoonful of the fragrant, sweet and sticky almond tea. After taking two sips, she said, "Your Majesty, please don't worry about this. This almond tea isn't sour at all. Why does it smell like vinegar?"

The pair of bright black eyes squinted at him, causing Xiao Mingyi's throat to roll. His black eyes curved, "Okay, I won't mention this anymore."

After that, he put his arm around Song Lingyi's waist and whispered in her ear, "In front of so many people, Ah Li should stop flirting with me."

Song Lingyi looked up in surprise: "Who seduced you?"

Xiao Mingyi raised his eyebrows, a faint smile on his lips, "Yes, Ah Li didn't, it's just that I have poor self-control, okay?"

“…”

The more he talks, the more outrageous it gets.

Song Lingyi blushed slightly: "If you say anything nonsense again, you will not be allowed to enter Yongning Palace tonight."

The emperor and empress on the high platform behaved very intimately. Lu Qian took a glance at them, then looked away and focused on drinking.

The officials who came to toast him didn't even open their mouths, but stared at him in amazement as he drank one cup after another. After a moment's hesitation, they said with a smile, "General Lu has a huge capacity. We are ashamed of ourselves."

The celebration banquet ended only when the moon was at its highest point.

The Duke and his wife and Lu Yu respectfully bowed to the Emperor and Empress and said goodbye, then ordered the eunuchs to carry the drunk Lu Qian towards the palace gate.

The night is clear and dust-free, and the bright moon is like silver.

The candlelight in Yongning Palace is dim and the fragrance is warm.

"Yan'er, come here,"

After washing up, Song Lingyi took off her gorgeous clothes and hairpins, and sat cross-legged on the couch wearing only her moon-white lingerie. She patted the soft quilt in front of her and guided the little princess to crawl into her arms.

The little princess enjoyed this game very much. She moved her short legs very quickly and threw herself into her mother's arms.

The atmosphere was harmonious between the winding curtains.

The little princess nestled in Song Lingyi's arms, shaking her rattle excitedly, showing no sign of going to sleep. Instead, Song Lingyi had drunk some wine and was feeling sleepy, yawning continuously.

Soon, the curtain was half lifted.

Xiao Mingyi, also wearing only a moon-white lining, stood beside the couch. He caught a glimpse of the little princess making trouble in Song Lingyi's arms, and the smile on his lips faded a little. "It's so late, why isn't Yan'er sleeping in the side hall?"

"Just now the wet nurse said that Yan'er was making a fuss and refused to sleep, and no matter how we coaxed her to sleep, it was useless. So I asked them to bring her here and let her sleep with me tonight." Song Lingyi spoke to herself, not noticing that the man beside the bed had a slightly stiff expression.

"She's already six months old. It's time for her to try sleeping alone."

Song Lingyi turned her eyes away from him, only to be met with a pair of dreamy and resentful eyes. Her face instantly turned red and she turned away: "You know she's only half a year old. Don't you usually dote on her?"

Before he could finish his words, the edge of the couch sank, and a warm, tall body pressed against him from behind.

The hot breath mixed with the aroma of ambergris enveloped her all over. His tall nose rubbed her neck affectionately, and he took a piece of soft flesh in his mouth, as if kissing and biting it.

Song Lingyi shuddered, as if an electric current had passed through her limbs, making her whole body limp. She freed one hand to push him away, but the man's large hand gripped her waist tightly, pulling her closer. "Why are you pushing me?"

The light in the tent was dim. Song Lingyi pushed him away twice but to no avail. She tilted her head to look at him, her brows slightly furrowed. "Yan'er is still here!"

Xiao Mingyi lowered his eyes to look at the little guy who was shaking the rattle foolishly, and said softly, "It's almost midnight, why are you still playing?"

Perhaps she noticed that her father was looking at her, the little princess smiled sweetly, like a white and tender glutinous rice dumpling.

"Maybe you sleep too much during the day and can't sleep at night." Song Lingyi caressed the little princess's head lovingly.

Can't sleep?

Xiao Mingyi narrowed his eyes: "If I spoil her like this, what should I do if she keeps clamoring and doesn't sleep every night?"

“…” Not really.

Song Lingyi pursed her lips and was about to speak when she felt her arms lighten. Xiao Mingyi picked up the little girl without saying anything and threw her to the palace maid serving outside, saying, "Send the little princess back to the side hall."

“Wow…”

As the little princess's cries faded further and further away, the last trace of guilt as a father in his heart disappeared. Xiao Mingyi dismissed all the palace maids, extinguished the candles, and skillfully lifted the curtain to get on the bed.

The next moment, a soft pillow with a lingering fragrance fell on his head.

Xiao Mingyi dodged accurately and quickly grabbed the slender wrist, saying softly, "A-Li, what are you doing?"

"How can you treat your father like this? Can't you hear Yan'er crying?"

"Is there ever a day when she doesn't cry? She cries at the slightest thing that goes wrong. What will happen in the future?" Xiao Mingyi curled his lips, took away the soft pillow, and leisurely looked at Song Lingyi, who had her black hair loose and was only wearing an inner garment. His throat rolled slightly, and he grabbed her hand, lowered his head to kiss the back of her white and tender hand, and sucked it softly.

"You..." Song Lingyi's eyes widened, her ears burned, her heartbeat accelerated, she struggled twice, but he pressed her firmly into his arms and pressed forward.

In the dim light, those narrow eyes were deep and dark, staring at her without blinking.

Just when Song Lingyi felt uncomfortable and wanted to turn her head away to avoid his gaze, Xiao Mingyi pinched her chin. Her vision suddenly darkened, and then her lips were covered by a warm touch.

The kisses were quick and frequent, and her nostrils were filled with the man's hot breath. The big hands moved around aggressively, brushing every inch of her skin, making her heart tremble slightly and her mind go into chaos.

For a long time, Xiao Mingyi buried his head in Song Lingyi's neck, his voice gentle and affectionate.

"Ali..."

The warm breath sprayed on the skin on Song Lingyi's neck, making it itchy and soft. Her cheeks burned hot, and she turned her face away and said, "Don't call me."

As the king of a country, he is relatively reserved and calm in front of outsiders, but becomes frivolous once the door is closed.

Xiao Mingyi chuckled softly, hugged her delicate body tighter, and put his tall nose close to her ear, whispering, "Today, my mother asked me when I would have another son."

Song Lingyi frowned in displeasure, and the words "Does your family have an heir to the throne? Why are you so anxious to have a son" were on the tip of her tongue, but she thought about it and swallowed them back.

There really is a throne to inherit.

"Giving birth is not like laying an egg, why are you in such a hurry?"

Listening to her complaints, Xiao Mingyi only chuckled, tilted his head to touch her hair, and said in a deep voice: "When you gave birth to Yan'er, I was really scared."

"What are you afraid of?"

"People say giving birth is like going through the gates of hell. I'm afraid something will happen to you, and I'm afraid I won't have you by my side for the rest of my life."

It was rare for him to speak so seriously in bed. Song Lingyi was still a little uncomfortable. "It's all in the past. Besides, Yan'er was very well behaved and didn't torment me for too long."

The hand on her waist tightened slightly, and she rubbed her tall nose against her ear. She spoke lazily, "So today I told Mother that we shouldn't have a child for now. Yan'er alone is enough to keep her busy."

Song Lingyi's eyelashes trembled twice, and she hesitated and said, "What if the officials urge us to do so?"

After all, the crown prince is the foundation of the country, and it is impossible that there is only one child in the harem, Yan'er.

"The Ministry of Rites sent me more than a dozen memorials urging me to hold the selection, but I never wavered. Why should I be afraid of them urging me again?" Xiao Mingyi didn't care.

That's true, this man always has his own ideas.

As if she had thought of something, Song Lingyi's eyes turned slightly and she chuckled, "Your Majesty, have you ever heard a saying?"

"What?"

"Once a man is over 25, his health is no longer what it used to be."

After the New Year, someone will be twenty-six years old.

“…”

Xiao Mingyi suddenly raised his head, looked at the person below him for a long time with a complicated expression, narrowed his eyes and said, "Do you think I'm too old?"

Song Lingyi raised her eyebrows and said in a coquettish tone: "I didn't say that, I just heard it from others."

That deep gaze seemed to have substance, fixed on her face. After two breaths of silence, the man's thin lips curled slightly: "It seems that Ah Li felt that I didn't satisfy you last night."

“…” Song Lingyi’s heart was pounding.

Thinking of what happened last night, my heart couldn't help but tighten.

"I don't--"

Before she could finish her words, her lips were blocked by him again.

Unlike the previous kiss, this one was obviously predatory. His lips and tongue licked and bit with force, going deep and wet, entwining with her tongue tip, mercilessly plundering every inch of her air.

Song Lingyi was breathing rapidly, her long eyelashes trembling slightly, and she was about to be kissed soft.

That night, the mandarin ducks cuddled together in the quilt, their confused breathing was intermittent and the air was filled with a faint fragrance.