Chapter 19 He was very generous in his admiration.

In the garden, several young girls dressed in brocade were preparing to compete in flower arranging. Meng Jingqiu volunteered to be the judge. Xie Mengjun was not particularly interested in flower arranging, but she saw a beautiful pale pink peony and thought that it matched the clothes her aunt was wearing today. So she carefully picked it and ran towards the waterside pavilion.

Why aren't you playing with them anymore?

Wen Miao put down the flower tea she had just taken a sip of, picked up a handkerchief and gently wiped the beads of sweat from Xie Mengjun's nose. She smiled and exuded the mature charm of a great beauty.

It was already hot, and her aunt was warm and fragrant. Xie Mengjun blushed and smiled dizzily, sticking close to her. She felt that her beautiful aunt's whole body was smooth and soft.

She said cheerfully, "I wanted to come and see my aunt. I was afraid she would be lonely here all by herself."

As she spoke, Xie Mengjun took out a peony flower that she had hidden behind her back. "Auntie, this flower is beautiful! It matches your dress today! I'd like to put it in your hair, is that alright?"

Several years ago, a trend of women wearing fresh flowers in their hair had emerged in the capital. Different varieties of flowers were paired with different seasons and dresses, making the women appear even more charming and lovely. However, girls from ordinary families mostly wore wildflowers, while women from aristocratic families had more choices. Some even cultivated rare varieties specifically to wear flowers in season, hoping to stand out at various banquets.

Wen Miao glanced at the delicate apricot-colored peony in Xie Mengjun's hand, then looked at her own warm yellow dress, and said with a light laugh, "Then I'll trouble Mengjun to help me put it in my hair?"

Seeing that her aunt agreed and even leaned slightly to cooperate, Xie Mengjun smiled even more happily.

She tiptoed and carefully ran her fingertips along Wenmiao's thick, dark hair, inserting the flower branch little by little into her already styled hair bun.

Shi Cui and Wan Bi, who were standing to the side, also watched with smiles. They felt that the lady and Miss Meng Jun got along very well, and there was no longer the detachment and indifference that the lady had shown when she first woke up.

...At that time, the lady seemed to belong to another world, as if a gentle breeze could blow her away to a place they could neither see nor find.

On the waterside pavilion, Wen Miao indulged Xie Mengjun as she pinned the peony in her hair.

In the distant pavilion, Meng Hanzhou, the heir of the Duke of Wei, who had been summoned, pushed open the door and entered. "Mother, is there something you need from me?"

The separation of men and women in the Great Chu was not strict, but it was inappropriate for Meng Hanzhou to participate in a banquet with only female guests. He knew that the lady was in the back hall of the Duke's mansion and was concerned about etiquette, so she was sitting uneasily in her study. However, she was invited over by the maid beside her mother.

At that moment, Meng Hanzhou's heart skipped a beat, and he couldn't help but wonder if his mother already knew his thoughts and intentions.

The Duchess of Wei stood by the window and waved.

Meng Hanzhou went over and followed his mother's gaze, only to see those small figures in the waterside pavilion.

Even though they were far apart and people were hard to see clearly, Meng Hanzhou recognized Madam Wen at a glance.

The youthful infatuation at first sight was vividly displayed in Meng Hanzhou. Before entering the house, he was a young master who was considered outstanding among his peers. But after entering the house and seeing the lady, he became a flustered young man, staring blankly without even hearing what the Duchess of Wei said.

Lady Wei: "You mentioned it to your sister a few times before, and I knew you cared about it. That's why I hosted a banquet at the manor and invited the women of the Xie family, thinking of finding a match for you in advance."

She knew her behavior was extremely impolite, but she was anxious about her eldest son's marriage, which is why she did it.

Seeing her son staring longingly at the young lady from the Xie family, the Duchess of Wei felt both helpless and amused. She didn't name her, but instead whispered that she was still young and it would be better to arrange an engagement first and then get married in a few years.

Meng Hanzhou didn't know that his mother was talking about Xie Mengjun, and when he heard the words "younger," he just assumed that his mother thought he wasn't mature enough.

Indeed, the lady is so wonderful. Although he holds the title of heir and is training in the military camp, he has not actually earned any official position through his own efforts. How can he be worthy of the lady? Perhaps the lady will even think he is too young and immature?

Meng Hanzhou quickly replied, "Mother, a man should establish himself before starting a family. If I have not achieved anything, how dare I ask for a wife?"

He had already decided that he should first earn an official position to prove his abilities, so that his wife would take a second look at him... If he had nothing, his wife would think he was just being silly!

Lady Wei's eyes were slightly red, her heart filled with both relief and sorrow. She patted Meng Hanzhou's hand and said, "Hanzhou, don't worry, your mother will definitely help you."

Meng Hanzhou hadn't expected the Duchess of Wei to be so open-minded, and said with some embarrassment, "Thank you, Mother."

So, in the attic, the two people, who were talking at cross purposes, reached a consensus after a long conversation. One was determined to help his son get married, while the other was determined to make a name for himself and marry a wife. They were quite peaceful, but neither of them knew that they were talking about the same person at all.

Wen Miao was unaware of this misunderstanding. She and Xie Mengjun were looking at lotus flowers when Meng Jingqiu from the Duke of Wei's mansion, having finished hosting the flower arranging competition, came over somewhat shyly. Her eyes, filled with curiosity and embarrassment, looked at Wen Miao, and she was also holding a white and pink peony in her hand.

Who doesn't like a beautiful person!

Xie Mengjun laughed generously, "Yuan Niang also said she wanted to put a flower in her aunt's hair!"

Meng Jingqiu blushed at the teasing, but didn't deny it. She cautiously asked, "Mrs. Wen, may I...?"

How could someone so beautiful and gentle not be her aunt?

Looking at the young girl in front of her, Wen Miao realized for the first time that she was so popular with children. She smiled and responded, and a peony with a light pink blush appeared at her temple.

Xie Mengjun and Meng Jingqiu sat there chatting with Wen Miao for a while, until their girlfriends called them to go swing on the swings, and then they left in a lighthearted manner.

Wen Miao, having remained seated for a while, decided to get up and take a stroll to admire the ancient garden within the Duke of Wei's mansion.

She stepped across the waterside pavilion, her robes fluttering in the breeze. Softly colored peonies, one pink and one apricot yellow, were clustered together in her raven-black hair, their petals trembling gently in the warm wind outside the pavilion—a captivating scene that caught the eye of anyone with a discerning eye.

In a pavilion in the distance, with curtains hanging around its sides, Emperor Qianyuan gazed intently at the beautiful woman walking slowly in the waterside pavilion through the shadows of trees and flowers by the pond.

On the Dragon Boat Festival, or even earlier, he had given his wife many gifts: hairpins, sachets, bracelets, earrings... all of which he had carefully selected, but he could only secretly put them on her when she was taking a nap.

The emperor focused his gaze, sweeping over Wen Miao's simple hairpin, her unadorned wrists, and her empty waist.

...There was nothing there.

But now, someone openly asked the lady to bend down and put that dazzling peony in her hair.

But he couldn't.

But he couldn't...

Emperor Qianyuan remained silent, his fingertips gently rubbing the sachet embroidered with plump bamboo leaves at his waist.

Xu Sheng was terrified, sensing that the Emperor's mood was unpredictable. "Your Majesty, shall I send someone to invite the Empress over?"

The emperor remained silent, only saying, "No need to follow," before stepping towards the dimly lit area with dappled light and shadow.

It was his turn to see the lady.

He would always appear on the road his wife passed by.

Then get everything ready.

The pavilions and terraces on the Duke of Wei's mansion were famous throughout the capital for their beauty. They were meticulously built so that one could enjoy the beautiful scenery of the entire lotus pond.

The corridors intersect, with pavilions every five steps and towers every ten steps. The shadows of trees and the branches of flowers sway on the side, forming a small, independent space. It was in this setting that Wen Miao saw that familiar figure in black when she turned a corner.

The emperor, whom she hadn't seen for several days, stood a few steps away from her. Dressed in casual clothes, he couldn't hide his majestic and noble air. His eyebrows were slightly lowered, and his lips were tightly pursed. The only bright spot on his dark clothes was the grass-green sachet at his waist.

Wen Miao was taken aback, then suddenly realized that the emperor seemed to appear precisely where she was every time.

Is it a coincidence or...?

Wen Miao lowered her eyes, feeling that the answer to this question was no longer a question to ponder.

Behind them, Shi Cui and Wan Bi stopped and lowered their heads.

"Madam, would you like to have some tea together?"

The emperor, with a slightly deep voice, slowly opened his mouth. His expression was strangely cold, but he deliberately kept his voice calm, so much so that Wen Miao could sense a complex and distorted aura around Emperor Qian Yuan.

"……good."

Wen Miao nodded and stepped forward slowly, while Shi Cui and Wan Bi stood guard a little further away outside the pavilion.

The pavilion here offers more privacy, with bamboo curtains hanging all around and an additional layer of gauze curtains on the outside. As the wind moves, the light dapples and blurs, creating a unique and interesting effect.

Instead of the usual stone tables and benches, the pavilion has a low couch covered with a bamboo mat, a small square table, and a round cushion on each of the four sides.

There were only Wen Miao and Emperor Qian Yuan here. She subconsciously sat opposite him—the seat furthest away from him. But when the bamboo curtain and gauze curtain were drawn, Wen Miao still felt a little suffocated.

The man sitting opposite her had broad shoulders and a tall stature. Even in his relaxed posture, his masculine aggression was pervasive, like a giant black python clinging tightly to her body.

Wen Miao's heart beat slightly faster. The teacup in front of her was still steaming. She placed her hands on the table, her soft fingers touching the cup, which was stained a beautiful red by the steam.

Emperor Qianyuan was somewhat uncontrollably drawn to the spot, staring intently at the red mark on his wife's delicate fingertips, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly as he felt a burning thirst.

He seemed truly inseparable from his wife; after only a few days apart, he felt an itch deep within his bones...

The owner of the fingers seemed to notice the somewhat offensive gaze, so the slightly red fingertips trembled, and they carefully retreated, eventually overlapping and hiding under the table, covered by the wide cuffs, never to be seen again.

The emperor calmly withdrew his gaze, sipping his tea to quench his thirst. "I really liked the sachet that you gave me last time, madam. Thank you."

Wen Miao's eyes flickered slightly as her gaze fell on Emperor Qian Yuan's waist.

The dark clothes and the light blue sachet were clearly mismatched.

She said softly, "No need to thank me, His Majesty has also given me many things."

Emperor Qian Yuan, who was sitting with his knees bent, raised an eyebrow slightly. "Does the lady like it?"

"...I like it."

Do you like it but not wear it?

Emperor Qianyuan ran his fingertip along the embroidery on the sachet. He wanted to ask his wife why she wasn't wearing it, when she would allow him to adorn himself with flowers, and he even wanted to remove the peony from her hair, crush it, and throw it far away...

But he didn't want to appear jealous of his husband and be looked down upon by his wife.

They were just two young women who had not yet reached marriageable age.

The lady simply smiled at them.

It doesn't matter.

...He is very generous.

The emperor lowered his eyes, suppressing the gloom in his heart. His face remained impassive as he twirled a half-full teacup between his fingers. "May my lady try some dessert?"

Wen Miao nodded, and was about to pick up a tea snack when she suddenly heard a slightly hurried footstep outside the pavilion. She turned her head and saw a tall figure standing under the gauze curtain, hazy and indistinct, with a kind of youthful innocence.

The curtains are made of a special material; light and shadow can be seen swaying from the inside out, but only a pearly white can be seen from the outside in.

The man asked, "Is Madam Wen resting in the pavilion?"

His voice is clear and has a youthful quality, so he is probably not yet of legal age.

The emperor bowed his head, staring at the teacup in his hand without saying a word, as if Wen Miao were the only person present.

Wen Miao responded with a puzzled look, "It's me."

The figure outside the gauze curtain swayed slightly, then bowed deeply, his voice barely containing his excitement as he said, "I am Meng Hanzhou, the heir of the Duke of Wei. I was deeply moved by your presence on the Dragon Boat Festival, and I have never forgotten you. Today, I humbly request an audience, hoping for your mercy."

—Crack.

Wen Miao suddenly turned around, only to see that the porcelain cup the emperor had been playing with between his fingers had been completely shattered, stained with a few thin streaks of blood.

A note from the author:

----------------------

Meng Hanzhou: (Young) (Handsome) Madam, I like you!

Wen Miao:?

Emperor: (At this moment, an elderly emperor is in the process of breaking through the defenses)

Thank you for your support! [Kiss] I highly recommend the pre-order for "My Deceased Ex-Husband Was the Emperor," check out the first book in my author's column.

[Self-conquest/Self-jealousy/His beloved emperor × A voluptuous and beautiful/temperamental widowed mistress]

Chu Qingyi lived in Jinling for a long time and married a hunter.

After their marriage, the hunter treated her very well, always putting her first, and they lived a peaceful and prosperous life.

Chu Qingyi thought it would always be like this.

Who would have thought that in the second year of their marriage, her husband fell into the deep mountains and was never seen again, neither alive nor dead.

Three years after her husband's death, Chu Qingyi was approached by a nobleman from the capital and learned that she was actually a descendant of the Duke's family who had been left outside the capital.

She was brought back to the capital as a widow, a situation she found awkward. She only intended to stay away from the turmoil and live a low-key life.

Unexpectedly, at a palace banquet, Chu Qingyi saw her "dead" ex-husband wearing a dragon robe, his crown tassels swaying gently—it was none other than the current Emperor Chenyuan.

*

Emperor Chenyuan often had a dream in which a woman smiled sweetly and kissed his lips, acted coquettishly in his arms, pinched his ear and scolded him as a "lecher," and called him "husband" with teary eyes, begging him to be gentle and slow.

Every time he woke up from his dream, Emperor Chenyuan felt that the woman was reckless and frivolous, and wondered why he couldn't forget her.

Until that day at the palace banquet, he saw the beautiful widow who had just been brought back to the Duke's mansion.

She was exactly the same as the woman who bit his lip in his dream.

The emperor, who ruled over the entire country, thought that once he tasted it, he might never forget it.

*

later--

In the dimly lit imperial study, Chu Qingyi's wrists were bound, rendering her unable to move.

The emperor slowly removed her hairpin, letting her black hair fall loose, and kissed her raised, snowy neck.

He listened to the trembling sobs of the beautiful woman in his arms and asked in a hoarse, low voice:

"Madam, did your late husband ever kiss these places?"

Notice:

① Both are virgins, the female lead is a time-traveler, and the male lead is an emperor.

②It's a cliché amnesia trope, but the male lead absolutely loves it.

③The female lead is a beautiful and voluptuous older sister, while the male lead is a secretly crazy younger man.