Chapter 15 How could anyone not be tempted by a wooden crate?

The torso, imbued with the fragrance of forest grass and trees, suddenly rose into the air. Wen Miao's legs twitched slightly, and as if suddenly remembering something, she leaned close to Emperor Qian Yuan's ear and whispered something, "On the stone..."

The emperor glanced at her, and even though the woman in his arms hadn't finished speaking, he knew what she meant. He simply shook his head, with a hint of reassurance, and said as he walked away, "It didn't stick."

The path from the mountains to the village was fairly flat, and Emperor Qianyuan walked briskly with a steady hand.

Wen Miao was no longer sure how many times Emperor Qian Yuan had held her—she clearly wasn't completely familiar with this person yet, but her unruly body seemed to be gradually getting used to his scent and temperature, softening and surrendering little by little.

She was unaware that several months ago, during the bitter winter in the capital, whenever she felt dizzy and feverish, and had difficulty eating or drinking, Emperor Qian Yuan would hold her in his arms, feeding her food and medicine, never relying on anyone else.

At this moment, Wen Miao, who knew nothing of the past, lowered her eyelashes out of shyness and embarrassment, her palms sweating. When she returned to the manor, her abdominal pain came late, making her originally rosy complexion pale again, and even her lips lost their color.

The emperor frowned, clearly having observed everything.

Once inside, Wen Miao was placed on the couch, with the other person's thin cloak cushioning her waist.

The next second, the emperor waved away the servants and raised his hand to lift Wen Miao's skirt.

"Wait, wait a minute—"

In her panic, Wen Miao bent her knees and squeezed her legs together, which happened to trap that warm hand between them.

Her delicate brows furrowed, momentarily ignoring her abdominal pain. Overwhelmed with shame and indignation, her voice unusually sharp, "What exactly does Your Majesty intend to do?"

Emperor Qian Yuan paused for a moment, still half-squatting on the footstool, and said in a low voice, "Change it for the lady..."

"His Majesty!"

Wen Miao's chest heaved, feeling her entire face burning up, even her fingertips trembling, as if afraid that the emperor in front of her might say or do something astonishing.

She said, "Please leave, Your Majesty. I can handle this myself."

The emperor frowned, seemingly disapproving, even though he was always willing to share his wife's burdens.

During the few seconds of the standoff, Wen Miao felt the wetness intensify, and even the leg holding that hand trembled slightly.

Seeing that the beautiful woman on the bed was particularly insistent, Emperor Qianyuan was also afraid that she would feel uncomfortable if she was delayed for too long, so he finally compromised and took the initiative to withdraw.

Inside, Wen Miao breathed a sigh of relief as no one was around.

She carefully got up and saw that a bathtub filled with hot water, towels, and brand-new clothes had been prepared behind the screen. She endured the pain in her stomach and quickly changed and washed. After she finished getting ready, Wen Miao raised her eyes and focused her gaze on the thin cloak that was still draped on the couch.

The cloak was a slightly misty, smoky blue, making any marks on it particularly noticeable. Wen Miao blushed slightly after just a few glances, unable to help but recall what had happened earlier.

The servant waiting outside spoke up at the opportune moment: "Madam Wen, there are maids to take care of the things inside, so please don't worry."

Wen Miao composed herself and walked out. When she looked up, she saw the emperor standing in the courtyard, missing a cloak. He turned his head to look back, his eyes filled with concern, as if he was waiting for her to come with him.

For some reason, Wen Miao felt her heart skip a beat.

The emperor raised his sleeve and waved his hand.

Immediately, a servant came with a tray, on which was placed a bowl of freshly brewed brown sugar ginger tea.

Wen Miao stared blankly at the rising steam, forgetting to move.

"Is there anything else that's bothering you, Madam?"

Upon seeing this, Emperor Qian Yuan hurried over, grasped Wen Miao's slightly cool hand, and said in a worried and deep voice, "I'm summoning the imperial physician..."

"Thanks."

The emperor was taken aback.

Wen Miao raised her eyes and looked intently at the man in front of her, whose brows were still furrowed. Her expression was gentle, and her starry eyes held a hazy, soft light, like spring water.

She said softly, "Your Majesty, thank you."

It was very serious, very sincere, and very appealing.

How could anyone not be moved by such a wonderful lady?

Emperor Qian Yuan's heart skipped a beat. He wanted to say something, but then he saw Wen Miao pick up the warm brown sugar ginger tea and sip it slowly.

He paused for a moment, then his voice softened considerably, "Shall I have the imperial physician come and take the lady's pulse again?"

"It's nothing, I checked before, it's not a big deal."

Wen Miao wiped her mouth with a handkerchief from the tray and shook her head, saying, "It just needs to be healed slowly. I guess it will be fine after a few more times."

The aftereffects of severe cold require long-term and gradual recuperation. As for lower back pain and abdominal pain during menstruation, it is just normal for most women, and it is only a few times more severe than usual at the moment.

Before the emperor could speak further, Wen Miao asked, "Is Your Majesty taking me to see something today?"

This was originally the emperor's idea, but he also knew that women would feel uncomfortable during their periods, especially seeing that Wen Miao's face was still a little pale. He thought he would talk about it another time, but Wen Miao said, "Since we're already here, let's take a look."

Xu Sheng had prepared soft cushions, a light blanket, a small table, snacks, and perfectly warm brown sugar ginger tea in advance for the elevated carriage.

Wen Miao felt as if she had suddenly regressed into a child—

She couldn't refuse the emperor's request to get into the carriage, so she was carried up directly. Once inside, she was personally settled into a soft seat with a brocade pouch behind her back and a thin blanket covering her abdomen and legs. As soon as she was settled, a warm hand warmer was handed to her.

The warm heat relieved the discomfort in Wen Miao's waist and abdomen, but Emperor Qian Yuan, who was sitting beside her, still frowned. After Zhang Ji drove the carriage a few meters away, he suddenly put his long arm around her and pulled the woman, who was resting with her eyes closed, directly into his arms.

"His Majesty……"

"Madam, relax."

The emperor suppressed Wen Miao's struggles, and his large, hot palm reached under the covers and quickly found a spot, covering the woman's soft belly through the thin fabric of late spring and early summer.

...How could it be so soft?

Wen Miao was bound and unable to move. She wanted to break free, but the hand on her abdomen felt really comfortable, and for a moment she didn't know how to react.

Emperor Qianyuan: "My lady, lean on me. We'll be there soon."

Wen Miao took a deep breath and slowly relaxed her body.

The capital city was the royal capital of the Great Chu Dynasty, a place of great prosperity and bustling activity. The city was teeming with people, and its inhabitants moved like brocade, making it seem like a city with an eternal vitality. Outside the capital, the city was surrounded by green hills and mountains. After the carriage had traveled several dozen miles from the outskirts of the capital, one could see lush green farmland and scattered villages.

Zhang Ji drove the carriage along the official road, then turned into a forest path. Half an incense stick later, Wen Miao, sitting inside the carriage, vaguely heard some sounds.

She looked up, slightly propped herself up, and lifted half of the carriage curtain to look out. "...What was that sound?"

It was very neat, somewhat immature, but the distance made it difficult to hear clearly.

“It’s the sound of reading aloud.” Emperor Qianyuan took the curtain from Wen Miao’s hand and lifted it up even further.

At the same time, the carriage stopped, and looking out the window, one could see several thatched huts connected across the stream in the fields. The windows were open, and the teacher walked slowly inside, while a group of children below followed along and read.

The Great Chu has always had official schools. Although the imperial examination system more than ten years ago set a precedent for children from poor families to enter the court and become officials, while powerful families held them back, these “poor families” were not necessarily from impoverished families, but rather from lower-ranking commoners or landlords.

Therefore, for ordinary people and farmers, the social standing and financial resources required to enter official schools became an unbearable burden.

However, a month ago, the imperial court issued an order allowing private schools to be established and students to teach, while also providing encouragement and assistance as much as possible. Following this imperial decree, private schools catering to the common people sprang up like mushrooms after rain, appearing in various parts of the Great Chu.

In the morning he was a peasant, in the evening he rose to the emperor's court.

The villages on the outskirts of the capital were the first batch of private schools to receive official support. Wen Miao even saw a few girls with braids among the young children.

Wen Miao stared blankly at the houses across the street. She felt something slipping through her mind, something she couldn't quite grasp. She felt confused and lost, yet her heart pounded slightly.

Emperor Qian Yuan, sitting behind her, still placed his palm on Wen Miao's lower abdomen and asked in a low voice, "Does my lady feel that the world has become a little better?"

Wen Miao turned around blankly, not understanding what it meant.

The emperor said slowly and deliberately, "Madam, this is just the beginning."

She asked, "When do we begin?"

The emperor smiled but said nothing, only saying that his wife should remember this for him.

What are you remembering?

He longed to see when this vast land could gradually become better, prosperous and fertile, free from hunger and cold, and with unimpeded access to mountains, rivers, lakes, and seas. He could not achieve the miracle of people traveling a thousand miles a day or traversing the heavens and seas, but as the ruler of the land, he could at least do his best to ensure that every child in every household had access to education and that women throughout the Great Chu had more freedom.

In this way, a goddess who has fallen to the mortal world might prefer to stay in this world... to stay by the side of an earthly emperor.

Inside a thatched hut by the fields, a bearded man recited, "Heaven and earth were dark and yellow, the universe was vast and boundless." The children sitting below swayed their heads and repeated the words one by one, listening to the man's explanation after he finished.

A gentle breeze blows, and birds chirp softly.

The carriage stopped in the woods for a long time, until the children in the thatched hut finished their lesson, and then Zhang Ji drove the carriage back to the main road.

The wheels rumbled as they headed towards the capital, seemingly to bring a temporary end to the two days of peace.

Before returning to the Xie residence, Wen Miao put on the new clothes she had changed into at the estate. She placed the carved hand warmer between the emperor's palms, where a faint, warm fragrance of a woman still lingered.

This time, the emperor did not stop her, but silently watched as Wen Miao stepped over the threshold.

Before the servant closed the door, the beautiful woman with striking features suddenly turned her head, the beads on her hair ornament swaying gently, her starry eyes sparkling, and bowed to Emperor Qian Yuan from afar.

Emperor Qianyuan remained silent for a long time, then smiled with a relaxed expression.

...

That afternoon, the Emperor summoned the Minister of Rites, and half an hour later, the Minister of Rites, beaming with joy, left the palace with a reward.

Meanwhile, Xu Sheng, who had been traveling at a brisk pace, lowered his head and carefully placed a silver-threaded mahogany box on the emperor's desk.

The emperor remained unmoved.

He calmly finished reviewing the last memorial, then got up, washed and wiped his hands, stood back at the table, and opened the heavy mahogany box.

There weren't many things in the box, just a few pieces of clothing folded up.

If Wen Miao were here, she would definitely recognize that two of the garments were the long skirt and shawl that she had soiled that morning, as well as the light blue cloak that she had used as a cushion.

He suddenly said, "Xu Sheng."

Xu Sheng, who was standing not far away, immediately responded, "This servant is here."

Emperor Qianyuan closed the wooden box, his gaze deep and unfathomable, sending shivers down one's spine for no reason.

He began, "Let's begin the preparations."

Xu Sheng bowed deeply forward, "This servant obeys."

A note from the author:

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Emperor: (wagging his tail) I'll help my wife change...

Wen Miao: Get out!!!

I recommend my friend's novel, "The Self-Cultivation of an Adulterer" by Half Aquarius.

[A ruthless and jealous emperor who became a mistress X a beautiful and artistic woman]

What's it like to have an emperor as your mistress?

Shen Xizhen could only comment: Corn 88, slim waist, long legs, eight-pack abs, two ounces a month, good quality and cheap. He didn't say anything more, because he lowered the price again.

The new emperor, Li Chengyou, may appear reckless, but in reality, he has long been sharpening his knives and consolidating his power.

But someone had the audacity to make him his mistress!

Absurd! Daring! Shameless!

Lee Seung-woo: Sister, open the door.

later……

Shen Xizhen, who had not yet been dismissed, nestled on the couch and pushed away the emperor who was clinging to her. "Hurry up and leave, my husband will be back soon."

Lee Seung-woo kissed her slender neck, then teased her playfully, "When are you going to divorce him, sister?"

Her flushed arms rested limply on her chest as she said lazily, "How many times have I told you, adulterers should have some self-awareness."

P.S.

Female, not male, C