Chapter 27: The Clingy Thread that Pulls the Goddess Back to the Mortal World

Emperor Qianyuan's face was dark and gloomy at this moment, and he looked at Meng Hanzhou and Lin Su as if they were two dead men.

But he held back.

He gripped the scroll tightly in his hand. Emperor Qianyuan glanced at the two men struggling on the ground and said in a deep voice, "Twenty lashes each, lock them up for now, and wait for their elders to come and pick them up!"

"Why should I!"

Meng Hanzhou was still blindfolded and unable to see. His cheek was rubbed raw from the struggle, giving his young and handsome face a wild, wolf-like quality, as if he had lost his mind in anger.

Lin Su stopped struggling as soon as Emperor Qian Yuan spoke. His mind raced, constantly comparing the voice with that of various dignitaries in the capital. He vaguely felt that the voice was familiar, yet it felt unreal, hazy and indistinct, as if shrouded in a thick fog.

"Who exactly are you? And what right do you have to resort to torture in private! How could Madam Wen possibly approve of you, given such blatant disregard for the law?"

In Meng Hanzhou's heart, the lady was gentle and kind. Even if she truly loved someone, it should be someone as upright and virtuous as her!

The emperor, enraged, laughed and forcefully snapped the scroll in his hand.

The torn canvas was strung together, and he slowly used the half of the scroll to press against Meng Hanzhou's throat, rendering him unable to move.

Emperor Qianyuan said in a low voice, "Because she is the future empress of Great Chu."

These words silenced everything, and Meng Hanzhou felt as if he had fallen into an icy abyss.

Lin Su's heart skipped a beat. Finally, as the answer was revealed, he realized the source of the voice—in previous years, at palace banquets, the current emperor would also speak, though not much. In addition, because he was sitting far away and high up, the sound was somewhat distorted, which was why he hadn't recognized it at first.

Now that the answer was laid out before him, Lin Su found himself slightly breathless.

...This was an outcome he never expected.

On the other side, Meng Hanzhou's mind went blank. He thought of the black cloth in the pavilion at the banquet hosted by the Duke of Wei, he thought of his father saying that the emperor had come to their residence, and he thought of the words his father relayed from the Duke's mouth: "The Duke's son is young and impetuous"...

Until he noticed the footsteps fading away, Meng Hanzhou forgot his place and blurted out hastily, "So that day in the pavilion was also..."

Emperor Qianyuan: "It is I."

Bold and reckless, he is considered outstanding among his peers, but he has been spoiled by the Duke of Wei's household. Such a person is not even worthy of carrying the lady's shoes.

Meng Hanzhou, who had been holding himself up, suddenly collapsed to the ground, while Emperor Qian Yuan stepped out of the side hall and personally watched as the candlelight burned the shattered scroll completely.

A gentle summer breeze stirred outside the hall, while inside, the faint sound of whips tearing through the air and the pained cries swallowed by biting one's lower lip could be heard.

Emperor Qian Yuan narrowed his long eyes slightly, and the chilling aura around him vanished instantly, as if nothing had happened. He regained his original calm, composed, and composed demeanor.

He said to Xu Sheng, who was standing trembling beside him, "Prepare some rose ice cream and cherry meat in advance, as the lady likes these."

Xu Sheng nodded: "Yes."

After giving these instructions, Emperor Qianyuan subconsciously wanted to go find his wife, but he was afraid of spoiling her enjoyment of being with the Xie family. He remained silent for a moment, then said, "Take my memorial and call the Minister of Revenue to see me."

Since I can't be with my wife, I can only handle official business.

Meanwhile, on the other side—

The accompanying officials and their female relatives were settled in a place further out of the Taihua Palace. The environment and location were naturally not as good as inside the mountain, and there were more people coming and going. Because Wen Miao was also "invited by Consort Rong to accompany her", she attracted many ladies to greet her as she went down the mountain. Even the Duchess of Wei was among them.

Despite the warning from the Duke of Wei, the Duchess of Wei was still concerned about her son's marriage. She saw Wen Miao on the way and took the initiative to go up to her, asking about Xie Mengjun in her conversation.

Wen Miao frowned slightly.

As far as she knew, there was only Meng Hanzhou in the Duke of Wei's mansion. The Duchess was asking her about Meng Jun at this moment, and her words implied a marriage alliance. She wanted to betroth Meng Jun to Meng Hanzhou.

Meng Jun will not be officially twelve for another three months, while the heir of the Duke of Wei is almost twenty. Most importantly, Meng Hanzhou expressed his feelings to her just a few days ago!

Wen Miao's usually gentle expression hardened slightly. She exchanged a few words with the Duchess of Wei before leaving. As for the marriage, she dodged the question, saying that she would have to ask her maternal grandfather, Xie Jingxuan, to find out.

She hurried across the threshold, only to see Xie Mengjun rush over and hug Wen Miao's waist.

"Aunt, I miss you so much! A day apart feels like three autumns, and it's been twenty-four autumns since we last saw each other!"

My aunt's waist is so flexible! My aunt smells so good! I love my aunt so much!

The pretty and adorable little girl snuggled up to Wen Miao, her face flushed from rubbing against him, her big, round eyes blinking with obvious dependence.

Wen Miao leaned down and pinched Xie Mengjun's soft cheek. "Your aunt misses you too."

Xie Mengjun smiled, revealing her teeth, and happily cuddled with Wen Miao until she heard her aunt ask, "Mengjun, do you know the heir of the Duke of Wei?"

"Him? I know him. He's Yuan Niang—Meng Jingqiu's brother. I met him once during the Dragon Boat Festival last time."

Wen Miao paused for a moment, then asked tactfully, "What impression does Meng Jun have of him?"

She was afraid that the young girl in front of her might be harboring romantic feelings.

Xie Mengjun shook her head, looking confused, and said, "No."

Although they had met once, and Yuan Niang had praised her brother for being so outstanding, Xie Mengjun didn't really remember what he looked like...

Wen Miao breathed a sigh of relief. She patted Xie Mengjun's head and changed the subject, "What was Mengjun doing before Auntie came?"

Xie Mengjun, still a child at heart, was immediately drawn in. "Auntie, I'm learning to weave grasshoppers with Hongrui! Can you play with me, Auntie? Please, Auntie!"

Hongrui was a maid who followed Xie Mengjun. She had a round face, was not very brave, and was somewhat shy. She would blush every time she saw Wen Miao.

Unable to resist Xie Mengjun's coquettishness, Wen Miao sat down with her and reached out to take the grass branches that Hongrui and the others had picked in advance.

The grass twigs used for weaving grasshoppers were specially selected by the maids; they were soft yet tough, and emerald green in color. Wen Miao originally only had the skill of weaving flower wreaths, but after watching Hong Rui a few more times, she was able to weave a few decent little items.

Grasshoppers, rabbits, butterflies, snakes woven from straw...

For most of the afternoon, Wen Miao sat with Xie Mengjun in the courtyard. The cool breeze in the summer forest was refreshing, and the afternoon sun was completely blocked by the branches of the trees, with dappled sunlight falling down. It was not hot at all, but rather extremely comfortable.

After temporarily finishing weaving the grass branches in her hands, Xie Mengjun said she wanted to go pick grass with Hongrui. Wen Miao took advantage of this opportunity to go to the back and find Xie Jingxuan, who was reading and enjoying the cool air.

“Grandfather,” Wen Miao called out.

"Miao Niang has arrived."

Xie Jingxuan smiled kindly and poured Wen Miao a cup of warm tea.

Since Wen Miao was summoned to the palace by Consort Rong to attend to her illness, they had not seen each other for several days. Xie Jingxuan could roughly guess what was behind the so-called "attending to her illness." Although he knew that the Emperor must be taking care of her in the palace, Xie Jingxuan, who already felt guilty and tender towards Wen Miao, could not help but feel more worried.

After all, the palace was a deep and secluded place, and Miao Niang's nature was too gentle and kind; she couldn't possibly survive in such a cannibalistic environment.

Seeing that Miao Niang's complexion seemed even better than in the past few days, Xie Jingxuan's fluctuating worries finally subsided.

His Majesty really treats Miao Niang very well.

Wen Miao sat down, sipping her tea as she slowly recounted her encounter with the Duchess of Wei on the road.

Finally, she frowned and said, "Grandfather, Mengjun is still so young, this matter shouldn't be in a hurry, right? Besides, I don't think Mengjun has any other intentions towards the heir of the Duke of Wei."

Xie Jingxuan stroked his beard. “No rush. Let’s see what Mengjun thinks… Although my Xie family is no longer known as a distinguished family as it was a hundred years ago, we have now regained our former glory and are content with a modest life. Therefore, Mengjun’s future marriage should be decided by her own wishes.”

After a pause, Xie Jingxuan looked at Wen Miao, his voice somewhat dazed, "I only pray that you can all be safe."

Having witnessed the decline of the Huaiyang Xie family in his youth and experienced even more difficult things while serving as an official in Jinling, Xie Jingxuan was more open-minded and easygoing than most people. His feelings were complicated when facing Miaoniang, and he would occasionally offer guidance in his words, for fear that she might get stuck in a rut.

He didn't know what connection Miao Niang had with the current emperor in the past, but he knew that some things were hard to avoid.

In that instant, gazing into the old man's deep and peaceful eyes, Wen Miao felt as if he knew something. She sat there stunned for a moment, then suddenly spoke up: "Grandfather, His Majesty and I..."

She paused, unable to finish her sentence, because Wen Miao didn't know what else to say.

What is their relationship like now?

Xie Jingxuan lowered his voice and asked, "Miaoniang, do you dislike His Majesty?"

Wen Miao thought for a moment and then said softly, "No."

Although she was annoyed by Emperor Qian Yuan's relentless pressure, she could not deny that she had received preferential treatment from the emperor, even some blatant favoritism and care.

When her maternal grandfather asked her this question, Wen Miao's subconscious answer was "I don't dislike it."

Beyond this "not dislike," there might be a few scattered and slight stirrings of desire, but what kept Wen Miao from taking that step was the rationality beneath her beautiful exterior.

It may be intentional, but it's far from liking someone.

She truly couldn't understand why, in just a few days, aside from lust at first sight, the Emperor could have such deep affection for her. Once the initial amazement faded, would she, like the concubines in the previous dynasty's harem, spend the rest of her life in sorrow?

Looking at Wen Miao's overly beautiful face, Xie Jingxuan suddenly thought of that day at the end of the twelfth lunar month last winter.

At that time, Wen Miao was suffering from a high fever due to cold and was unconscious. The imperial physicians in the palace took her pulse and tried to treat her several times, and precious medicinal materials were continuously supplied, but the effect was worrying. They could only apologize to the emperor, saying that the noble lady on the bed had been too worried and depressed in the past, and her will to live was not strong.

That was Xie Jingxuan's first day in the capital, and he was invited to the palace.

The capital was blanketed in heavy snow, a pristine white expanse that could not conceal its bustling prosperity. The deep red palace walls were made even redder and more vibrant by the falling snow, a dazzling sight that had not been seen since the decline of the Xie family of Huaiyang.

When Xie Jingxuan left, he was filled with trepidation, not knowing what lay ahead for him. He felt both uneasy and filled with awe and fear of imperial power.

Upon entering the inner palace, before he could even kneel to pay his respects to the current emperor, he saw the emperor, dressed in a dragon robe and wearing a crown, kneeling on the ground, holding the hand of the woman on the couch, and calling her name in a hoarse voice.

"Wen Miao."

Over and over again.

The woman on the bed was pale, clearly ill, and rather thin.

On that same day, Xie Jingxuan gained another identity: the "maternal grandfather" of the person lying unconscious on the bed. He became Miao Niang's family member, and it seemed that he had also become a thread that pulled Wen Miao back into the world by the Emperor.

But it's not the only one.

Kinship, family, friends, a brand new identity in accordance with the laws of the Great Chu, and a benevolent environment where everything was arranged in advance...

Xie Jingxuan didn't even get a clear look at his "granddaughter's" face that day before he was asked to leave by the palace servants. He was given the Xie residence in the capital, along with a written record of everything about his "granddaughter" that he was required to memorize completely.

Xie Jingxuan recognized it as the Emperor's calligraphy, vigorous and powerful, yet with deep emotions hidden within the strokes.

The next time Xie Jingxuan saw Wen Miao was this year.

The woman, who had been pale and sickly, regained her color and her frail body was restored to its former plumpness. Although she had amnesia and no memory of her past, and her expression occasionally showed a blank and otherworldly look, she was much better than when she first glimpsed her on the bed, overwhelmed by worries and without any will to live.

Xie Jingxuan was well aware that the difference between the two postures must be due to the Emperor's careful attention and care.

He just couldn't understand why, if the emperor had feelings, and such deep feelings at that, he would conceal everything and instead construct all of this with lies. If Miao Niang were to regain her memories in the future, this whole thing would become...

Xie Jingxuan couldn't help but sigh heavily.

He glanced at Wen Miao again, a hint of guilt hidden deep within his kind and gentle face, and whispered:

"Miaoniang, your grandfather only wishes for your peaceful and smooth life."

He felt guilty towards Miao Niang and wanted to make amends as much as possible.

Wen Miao didn't know if there was any other deeper meaning in her maternal grandfather's words, but at this moment she just nodded in agreement, sat in the courtyard and talked with Xie Jingxuan for a while, before turning around to look for Xie Mengjun.

They wove the collected grass branches into two small baskets. One basket contained the small items woven by Wen Miao, and the other contained Xie Mengjun's. The two women, one big and one small, each carried one basket and strolled into the woods for a while. They noticed that the sun was setting and the wind in the mountains was getting stronger.

Xie Mengjun rubbed the soles of her shoes and asked, "Is my cousin going to stay at the Empress Dowager's place tonight?"

Wen Miao thought of Emperor Qian Yuan and nodded hesitantly.

If she doesn't go home tonight, "the people of Consort Rong" will probably come to invite her in a little while.

Xie Mengjun sighed like a little adult, "Oh, I didn't expect that even though the Empress Dowager is so grown up, she still can't be separated from her cousin. She's so clingy."

Wen Miao added in her mind: It's not that the Empress Dowager is clingy, it's that the current Emperor is clingy!

Xie Mengjun asked pitifully, "Will my cousin still have dinner with me and my great-grandfather?"

Wen Miao thought for a moment and said, "Then I'll eat a little with you first."

"My cousin is so kind!" Xie Mengjun exclaimed happily.

Because of the summer heat, the dinner was not a feast, but rather quite refreshing. Wen Miao wasn't very hungry, so she ate a few bites with her grandfather and Meng Jun. After the sky darkened a bit more, she got up, picked up her lantern, and followed Shi Cui and Wan Bi back the way she came.

After walking for a while, Wen Miao frowned slightly and slowed her pace for a moment.

Shi Cui: "What's wrong, Madam?"

"It's nothing," Wen Miao shook her head, adjusting the hem of her skirt between her legs. "It's probably just a small pebble stuck in the sole of my shoe. Let's keep going."

The soft light of the lantern fell at Wen Miao's feet. Just as she lifted her foot to continue, she heard Wan Bi suddenly speak: "Madam, look..."

"What?"

Wen Miao looked up and saw another tall, familiar figure standing at the end of the dappled path in the woods. He was dressed in dark clothes, with long hair standing up, broad shoulders and a narrow waist. He was also carrying a lantern with a warm yellow candlelight and was looking over from afar.

"His Majesty……"

Standing in the woods, the emperor, whose figure appeared to have a rough, velvety texture in the dim light, nodded slightly.

He said, "I have come to fetch my lady."

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Author's Note: What if I traveled to the modern era—

Wen Miao: (Leaving get off work) (Getting ready to go home)

Emperor: (Eagerly) I've come to pick up my wife from get off work!

Thank you for your support! I'd also like to recommend a similar pre-order: "My Deceased Ex-Husband Was the Emperor".

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

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