Chapter 65 (065) I rub it.

The more Xie Lanzhao remained silent, the more excited Zhao Jialing became. After thinking it over and over, she felt that her idea was brilliant. Her eyes were fixed on him as she earnestly persuaded, "They say, 'When you're awake, you hold power over the world; when you're drunk, you rest on the lap of a beauty.' Don't you want to fulfill your dream? You can even rest on the lap of a beauty who holds power over the world."

This was getting more and more absurd, and Xie Lanzhao chuckled to herself. She gently pulled away from Zhao Jialing's grasp and sat up straight on the couch. Raising her hand to pinch her brow, she said, "I am not tired now."

“Then you can take a nap,” Zhao Jialing said. She took off her shoes and socks and sat cross-legged on the couch. She raised her hand and slapped her thigh. “Look, I’m all ready.”

Xie Lanzhao: "..." It's hard to refuse His Majesty's hospitality, yet I still have to "decline." I knew His Majesty was good at pushing his luck; this set of tactics is far more sophisticated than last year. "Your subject dares not be impolite."

Zhao Jialing looked at Xie Lanzhao with disappointment: "Haven't you been rude enough? Don't use 'rudeness' as an excuse to refuse me." He paused, then realized he had been too aggressive; that wasn't good. After a light cough, she asked gently, "Do you think my legs are uncomfortable? Or is this couch too high?"

Xie Lanzhao glanced down at the low couch; His Majesty was already rambling incoherently. Her thoughts were a jumbled mess. If His Majesty insisted on renegeing, what could she do? Not long ago they were discussing state affairs; His Majesty switched effortlessly between official and private matters.

Zhao Jialing didn't want those political affairs to fill her mind and bring her unhappiness, so of course she temporarily threw them to the back of her mind. If she didn't have any time for herself, wouldn't being the emperor be too pathetic? She stared intently at Xie Lanzhao, her expression changing repeatedly, and pursed her lips, saying, "So you're disgusted with me, but I've already hugged you and kissed you, I've already lost my innocence. I don't even care, I've swallowed those grievances. Can't you indulge me a little in small matters?"

Xie Lanzhao: "?"

Has it already begun after such a short time? Who can surpass His Majesty's ability to distort the truth?

“That was an accident.” Xie Lanzhao frowned. “Besides, wasn’t it I who suffered the loss?”

"Didn't you say you wouldn't hold it against me? You said it was a trivial matter. After discussing important matters with you, can't we have some small things to pass the time?" Zhao Jialing, exposed, showed no shame. She rested her elbows on her knees, propped her chin on her hand, and looked at Xie Lanzhao. Quickly changing her mind, she said in a gentle tone, "I remember that matter well, so this is to make it up to you. Please don't refuse me, okay?" Her tone was filled with pitiful pleading.

Compensation? I don't even know whose reward it is.

"Your Majesty—" Xie Lanzhao wanted to continue refusing.

But then His Majesty's voice rang out again.

Zhao Jialing shook her arm and said softly, "Just stay with me for a little while."

Xie Lanzhao met Zhao Jialing's gaze and sighed softly, "Your subject obeys the decree."

When gentle persuasion failed, there was no other option but to take action. But then, unexpectedly, Zhao Jialing, momentarily stunned, was overjoyed. She tapped her legs and eagerly asked, "Should I straighten my legs, or should I sit cross-legged?"

Xie Lanzhao: "..." She couldn't go against His Majesty's wishes, since she had already agreed, so she could only let His Majesty do as he pleased. The hall was quiet, with only her own not-so-smooth heartbeat echoing in her ears, and a clear, crisp scent of pine and snow lingering in her nostrils, probably prepared by the palace according to the recipe given by the system.

Zhao Jialing didn't speak; if she really wanted to, she could go on and on. But since she had invited Xie Lanzhao to sleep here, she couldn't bother her with words anymore. She simply raised her hand slightly and tucked Xie Lanzhao's hair behind her ear. However, this movement caused Xie Lanzhao, who had been keeping her eyes closed, to open them.

"Don't worry, I won't take this opportunity to be disrespectful to you," Zhao Jialing said, her fingers intentionally or unintentionally brushing against Xie Lanzao's earlobe. She didn't wear earrings when attending court, but what about when she was at home? Did she wear them when she visited Xie Lanzao's house before? Zhao Jialing couldn't quite remember. She leaned forward slightly, trying to examine Xie Lanzao's ear piercing.

Xie Lanzhao had long been aware of how inconsistent Zhao Jialing's words and actions were, and how arrogant he could become when he was hot-headed. At this moment, seeing Zhao Jialing leaning over, alarm bells went off in her mind, and she almost involuntarily looked up and stood up.

When her chin hit Xie Lanzhao's head, Zhao Jialing was still a little dazed. After a few moments of silence, she hissed in pain. Without rubbing her own chin, she placed her hand on Xie Lanzhao's forehead and asked, "Does it hurt?"

Xie Lanzhao's gaze lingered on the red mark on Zhao Jialing's chin. Getting up too hastily was inappropriate; it was His Majesty who would suffer. "Your Majesty, I'm fine," Xie Lanzhao said again. "And Your Majesty, would you like to summon a physician?"

"I'm fine, just a little sore," Zhao Jialing said, but seeing the concern on Xie Lanzao's face, she knew Xie Lanzao wasn't a stubborn rock. Her eyes darted around, and she quickly made her request, "Rub it for me."

Xie Lanzhao hesitated.

Zhao Jialing pretended to be angry: "You're not going to be a heartless person, are you?"

Xie Lanzhao: "I'm afraid I might hurt Your Majesty because I don't know my own strength."

Zhao Jialing blinked: "It's alright, I'll cry out if it hurts." The sweetness is hers, so she can endure the occasional pain.

The sharp pain was only momentary, followed by waves of dull ache, nothing serious. Zhao Jialing wanted to bury her face in Xie Lanzhao's hands, but as she moved around, Xie Lanzhao couldn't control the strength and location of her gentle massage. "Your Majesty," Xie Lanzhao called out to her in desperation.

Zhao Jialing rested her chin on Xie Lanzhao's palm, slightly raising her eyes with a bewildered look. After a while, she responded with a lazy hum. It didn't hurt, but she was reluctant to leave. Since Xie Lanzhao hadn't pushed her, she could throw away any notions of decorum.

"Is His Majesty feeling better?" Xie Lanzhao noticed something amiss in her expression, a look of suspicion appearing in her eyes. She believed it had hurt at first, but now it was hard to say. She could no longer feel anything on her forehead, and the mark on His Majesty's chin had faded. If she continued, she feared it would leave only finger marks.

Zhao Jialing said in a light tone, "Not ready yet."

"It looks quite serious," Xie Lanzhao said softly, her eyelashes lowered. "It seems necessary to have someone from the Imperial Pharmacy come and take a look."

"How can anyone know this?!" Zhao Jialing grabbed Xie Lanzhao's retreating hand and said, "Are you tired? Let me massage your wrist." Before Xie Lanzhao could answer, she continued, "If we call a physician, people will think that you and I were indulging in debauchery in the palace during the day. I don't care, but rumors are a terrible thing, and they will eventually affect you."

It sounded somewhat hypocritical, but Zhao Jialing was eager to make it public. Xie Lanzhao chuckled inwardly. Her "reputation"? It hadn't been very good since His Majesty had uttered those arrogant words. Retracting her hand from Zhao Jialing's grasp, Xie Lanzhao pretended not to see the regret on his face. She said, "This subject should also take her leave."

"Wait a minute," Zhao Jialing called out to her.

Xie Lanzhao asked with a hint of helplessness, "What's wrong, Your Majesty?"

"Come closer, I want to see you," Zhao Jialing said. Without waiting for Xie Lanzhao to agree, she reached out and pulled the person who hadn't left yet close, staring at her earlobe and saying, "I wanted to see it earlier." As she spoke, she raised her hand and pinched it, watching the place where her fingertips had rubbed turn a blood-red color. "I think you're missing a pair of earrings."

That's all too obvious.

She could still maintain some movement when she lay down, but now, as Zhao Jialing rubbed her, Xie Lanzhao could hardly suppress the trembling that felt like an electric current.

A blush spread from her earlobes, instantly turning her fair cheeks red: "Your Majesty!"

Zhao Jialing was startled and quickly withdrew her hand. Her heart pounded like a drum, and she wanted to feign indifference, but couldn't bring herself to do it. She looked at Xie Lanzhao, who was getting up and straightening her clothes, and smiled awkwardly, unsure of what to say.

Xie Lanzhao smoothed out the wrinkles on his official robe. Only now did the words "What kind of behavior is this?", which should have come out long ago, suddenly hit him like a huge wave.

Who can we blame?

She should have been wary, but that initial vigilance ultimately vanished without a trace.

Xie Lanzhao sighed inwardly, her gaze towards Zhao Jialing becoming complicated.

"I...I..." Zhao Jialing, being stared at, couldn't help but panic. She hesitated for a moment, then pursed her lips and admitted her mistake, "It's my fault, I frightened you. I'll ask you first later. But—the face is fine, why not the ears?"

With a bewildered look in her eyes and a sincere question, Xie Lanzhao had no intention of paying her any attention. She took a deep breath and said, "It was I who overstepped my bounds."

Zhao Jialing waved his hand magnanimously, saying, "I don't mind." There were only the two of them in the hall; if she didn't speak, and Xie Lanzhao didn't speak, who would know? Rules are just for show; wasn't Xie Lanzhao too rigid? But after thinking about it, Zhao Jialing dismissed the idea. Not rigid, but too adaptable. She hadn't been too strict with the rules in court affairs before; these "rules" were just a pretext to appease her.

Thinking this, her already insignificant guilt vanished. Zhao Jialing inexplicably became a little angry, and she snorted, "Does my existence make you feel inferior? Your expression is like that of someone who has had an affair and is filled with regret."

From expressing his true feelings to speaking recklessly, His Majesty only needs to take a small step. But His Majesty has his own thoughts and doesn't see this as mere sophistry. Theory is useless; self-deception and ignoring it are best. But Xie Lanzhao still pursed her lips and said, "Your Majesty, please don't tarnish my reputation."

"Your innocence is worth a thousand pieces of gold, while my integrity is worthless," Zhao Jialing said quietly. "Who told me I can't do anything about you? Don't worry, I will keep this secret."

Xie Lanzhao: "..."

never mind.

She told herself this, but when she actually tried to act, her legs felt as heavy as a thousand pounds. Xie Lanzhao gazed intently at Zhao Jialing, then asked casually, "Does Your Majesty have anything else to say to me?"

His gaze was deep and unfathomable, conveying a myriad of emotions. The moment Zhao Jialing met that gaze, he froze, unable to utter a single witty remark, let alone speak seriously. It was as if a hook was pulling at him, trying to rip his heart from his chest; his ears rang, and his mind went completely blank.

"Your subject takes his leave." Xie Lanzhao's words were calm and composed, and with a flick of his sleeve, he seemed to shake off all worldly affairs.

Zhao Jialing nodded in a daze, and after Xie Lanzhao left, she revealed a rash and impulsive expression.

[Third Prince, have I messed up?]

system:【……】

It's quite unusual to see such boldness and cowardice combined in one person. But this isn't something the system is supposed to supervise, so the answer was rather perfunctory: "No."

Zhao Jialing: [She clearly has something to say to me.]

The system stayed on to the point: "There will be plenty of opportunities to meet again; we can talk about it next time. Host, you still need to work harder; you haven't unlocked a single achievement related to food yet."

Zhao Jialing's face fell: "The people I can see are limited. They weren't available before, so why would they be now?"

After pondering for a while, he muttered to himself, "In a few days, I shall invite Xie Lanzhao to Mingde Academy."