Chapter 47 The Jade Buddha Asks for a Reward: The Big Dog

When Chen Wanqiu was at Prince Rui's residence, she had met other nobles from the capital.

Princess Consort Zhao of Prince Rui was a very vain person. She often invited noble ladies to hold banquets in her mansion to enjoy flowers, listen to music, or something else. These noble ladies all wore beautiful silk clothes, gold hairpins in their hair, and jade bracelets on their wrists. They were all luxurious items that Chen Wanqiu had never seen in Qu County, Qingzhou.

—Although Qu County has beautiful mountains and rivers, it is not prosperous.

Everyone loves beauty. At first, Chen Wanqiu liked to look at the golden ornaments on those ladies, her eyes filled with amazement and envy. However, when those noble ladies noticed her gaze, they would often show a kind of disgust.

They looked down on Chen Wanqiu, who came from Qu County.

They would wave their fans, bite their lips, and chuckle as they asked Zhao Shi, "Where did this little girl come from? She has such a rustic air about her, and seems rather unrefined."

Princess Zhao would never say that Chen Wanqiu was her son's beloved. She would only say that she was a kind-hearted maid they had taken in from outside the mansion. She was not very knowledgeable, so they kept her in the mansion to do chores and learn to serve others.

Chen Wanqiu suffered a lot of cold looks, disgust and contempt from the Princess Consort of Prince Rui. She was clearly a decent person, but in the eyes of those people, she seemed to have become a dirty stray dog ​​on the street.

She had always thought that everyone in the capital was so aloof and superior, but the Empress who had just saved her was not.

When the lady looked at her, her eyes held a faint sadness and unease, a hint of anxious unease, and were filled with a warm, tender emotion that Chen Wanqiu had never seen in anyone's eyes since leaving Qu County.

Even when she was so angry that she wanted to tear her clothes to block the Princess Consort's false accusations and prove that she was not a maid of the Prince Rui's mansion, it was that lady who gently held her hand and wrapped the precious and beautiful shawl around her exposed skin.

...It's very warm.

In that lady's eyes, she was not a dirty stray dog ​​on the street, but a person—a person from Qu County, Qingzhou.

Everything that followed felt like a dream. Chen Wanqiu thought the nightmare she would never be able to escape was resolved in just a few words. When she came to her senses, she was already sitting in a warm room, wearing clean clothes, and even the redness and swelling on her cheek had been covered with ointment, which gave off a faint coolness.

She wanted to kowtow to the Empress who had saved her in gratitude, but then she heard the Empress, who seemed to be bathed in golden light, ask her—

"...Do you want to go home?"

Wen Miao wanted Princess Rui to pay the price for her actions, and she also wanted to ask Chen Wanqiu about her own choices—she had already learned most of the details from Madam Luo, but Wen Miao was unsure whether Chen Wanqiu still had feelings for the Prince Rui's son.

She wanted to give this wronged little girl a chance to choose.

If the other party says they want to, she will find a way to send them back to Qu County in Qingzhou so they can return to their family; if they don't want to... she won't force them.

She just felt she had the ability to do something to ease the dull, aching feeling in her heart.

Seeing the girl who had been helped staring blankly at her, Wen Miao softened her tone and asked again, "I know you were born in Qu County, Qingzhou, and I also know you suffered grievances at Prince Rui's mansion. If this matter is resolved, do you want to go home? If so, I can send someone to take you back."

Chen Wanqiu's eyes widened little by little, her lips trembled, and for a moment she was almost speechless, tears streaming down her face, before she finally managed to squeeze out a few words, "I...I want to."

She said, "Your Majesty, I want to go home."

She really missed home, missed her poor but loving father, missed her strict but skilled master... missed everything about Qu County in Qingzhou.

That small, not-so-wealthy place was perhaps the best place for her to live.

As for the young master who had once moved her heart and whom she thought was the right person for the rest of her life... Chen Wanqiu thought that they were not suitable for each other. The young master was the heir of the Prince Rui's mansion and would never step down from his high position, while she was a little sparrow in the countryside and would never be able to fly to the top of the tree in this lifetime.

She is self-aware.

Wen Miao seemed to understand what Chen Wanqiu was thinking. She chuckled and said in a comforting tone, "Why are you crying again? If you keep crying, you'll ruin the ointment on your face."

At this moment, she didn't act like an empress at all. She simply pulled the trembling Chen Wanqiu to a wooden bench beside her, asked her to sit down, and patted Chen Wanqiu's shoulder with her warm and beautiful hand.

"Don't worry, stay here for now. It may take a while, but don't worry, since I promised, I will definitely take you home."

After a pause, as if she had thought of something, Wen Miao asked again, "Have you written to your family since you came to the capital?"

Chen Wanqiu shook her head: "No, no, the Princess Consort wouldn't allow it..."

Princess Rui was very strict with her. The maids in the mansion never allowed her to leave the mansion. From last year until now, Chen Wanqiu had not even been able to properly see the prosperity of the capital. She was kept under the watch of Zhao Shi and naturally could not contact her family.

Wen Miao nodded, a slight smile playing on her lips. "Then let your family know you're safe tomorrow. You've been away for so long, you should let them know."

Chen Wanqiu looked at Wen Miao, nodded carefully, took the handkerchief handed to her by the Empress and wiped away her tears. She thanked her sincerely. After the Empress left, the two maids who had brought her earlier helped her reapply the medicine and gently told her to rest well.

She sat on the couch, hugging her knees, and looked out the window at the gradually darkening sky. She could almost smell the pleasant scent from the Empress's sleeves.

Chen Wanqiu felt as if she had encountered a goddess who had descended from heaven to save her.

...

After comforting Chen Wanqiu, Wen Miao noticed that the sky was getting dark and went back to her room to rest for the night.

Lingyun Temple is a large temple on the outskirts of the capital. It has many side rooms and was specially prepared for the emperor and empress. It is not as magnificent as the palace, but it is clean and tidy, and everything has been taken care of by servants in advance.

When Wen Miao returned, Emperor Qian Yuan was not in the room. He must have gone out to handle state affairs. She dismissed the maids and servants around her and sat on the couch, rubbing her sore calves.

Although she had been working non-stop from morning till night and was feeling a bit tired, there was a different kind of lightness and satisfaction that she couldn't quite describe.

Wen Miao pursed her lips and smiled softly in the empty room. Then, feeling a little embarrassed, she patted her cheeks, which had been chilled by the autumn wind on her way back. As she turned her head, she saw the wooden box on the table.

The small wooden box, imbued with the scent of incense from the meditation room, was not pungent, but rather exuded a quiet and serene presence.

The smile on Wen Miao's face gradually faded as she began to recall and sketch the image of Prince Yu, Ji Sheng, whom she had seen that day.

Although the man appeared kind and compassionate, Wen Miao still felt something was off. She didn't want to assume malice in others, but her intuition about the strangeness was undeniable, even when she first met Emperor Qian Yuan... she had never felt this way.

Thinking this, Wen Miao raised her hand, her slender white wrist adorned with the jade bracelet the emperor had put on her during her dressing today. Under the candlelight, it shimmered with a lustrous sheen, its shadow flickering and reflected on the wooden box.

Soft fingertips touched it, and just as they were about to turn it on, familiar footsteps sounded from the doorway.

Wen Miao stopped what she was doing and turned her head to look over.

Emperor Qian Yuan, still enveloped in the chill of the evening, did not immediately step forward. He smiled at Wen Miao, allowing Xu Sheng to remove the cloak from her shoulders and warm it over the bronze incense burner to dispel the cold air, before finally sitting down beside Wen Miao.

He naturally stretched out his arms and wrapped them around Wen Miao's waist, placing his hands, warmed by the copper incense burner, on her soft, smooth abdomen, as if it had long been a habit.

Wen Miao, who had become desensitized to Emperor Qian Yuan's constant attention, adjusted her posture and leaned closer to him to make herself more comfortable.

Wen Miao spoke softly and slowly, explaining her plans for Chen Wanqiu to Emperor Qian Yuan.

“She had already suffered some injustice in the capital, so I thought I would find someone to send her back to Qingzhou after this matter was over. She has been away for so long... her family must miss her very much.”

As she said this, Wen Miao's eyes glazed over slightly, and she felt a strange tightness in her chest, as if a stone was pressing down on her, making it hard to breathe.

She raised her hand to her chest somewhat blankly. Although the images of Xie Jingxuan and Xie Mengjun flashed through her mind, a vague, unsettling feeling lingered.

In a few fleeting, easily missed moments, Wen Miao seemed to see a serious, frowning man, a critical and indifferent woman, and... a little girl looking at her with eyes full of hostility.

But she herself... seemed to be isolated from them, being judged alongside them.

The emperor's gaze was deep, and before Wen Miao could continue to indulge in this emotion, she felt the embrace around her tighten instantly, her attention drawn back by the emperor's voice.

"Rest assured, everything will be as the Empress expects. I have already sent people to investigate the matter concerning Princess Rui, and we should have news in a couple of days."

The chaotic images in her mind were interrupted. Wen Miao blinked and finally came back to her senses.

She leaned back slightly, calming herself, and then, noticing the emperor's slightly sharp jawline, said softly, "Thank you, Your Majesty..."

The rest of her words were drowned out by Wen Miao's soft, nasal voice. Qian Yuandi, who had been resting on her shoulder, suddenly pressed his lips to hers and bit the soft flesh of Wen Miao's neck.

It didn't hurt, but it was a little numb, stimulating the blood vessels and nerves under the skin, making Wen Miao gasp and feel a slight weakness in her lower back.

"No need for thanks, and besides—"

Emperor Qian Yuan chuckled hoarsely, his voice deep and resonant, which made the skin behind Wen Miao's ears turn red. He said, "The Empress has already given me a reward, so I will naturally do my best and must not let her down."

...like a big dog begging for a reward.

The kind that's bigger than its owner.

Wen Miao couldn't help but curl the corners of her lips as she made her own associations, and asked Emperor Qian Yuan in a rare joking manner, "Is Your Majesty satisfied with just one kiss?"

Emperor: "Of course, I'm always easy to please."

As they were talking, Emperor Qian Yuan's gaze fell on the wooden box on the table, and he asked casually, "What is this?"

Wen Miao then remembered something she had forgotten because the emperor had returned to his room, "It was Master Huineng... the gift that Prince Yu gave me."

"My eighth brother..."

Wen Miao couldn't see the emperor's expression behind her, nor could she see the coldness hidden in his narrow eyes. She only heard him ask casually, "What does Miao Miao think of Prince Yu?"

Prince Yu, Ji Sheng, was handsome and refined. Before he became a monk, he was once the ideal husband in the hearts of young ladies in the capital.

In some ways, he was like Cui Xu.

Wen Miao thought for a moment and then said, "Is...is it alright?"

She felt that the person being criticized behind her back might not be very nice, so she could only give a perfunctory answer.

But this answer pleased Emperor Qian Yuan quite a bit.

He kissed Wen Miao's neck again, echoing his empress, "I think so too."

Emperor Qianyuan then asked, "Did the Empress open and examine that gift?"

"Not yet."

The emperor reached out, took the box, and placed it in Wen Miao's hands, saying casually, "Since it's a gift, then Miao Miao, take a look."

Wen Miao took it as instructed and opened it.

Inside the small wooden box was a jade Buddha with a kind and benevolent face, symbolizing salvation for all living beings.

Emperor Qianyuan: "Prince Yu is quite thoughtful."

"It looks very fine." Wen Miao glanced at it a few times, then closed the box. "Tell Shi Cui to put it away for now."

She paused, then turned her head and asked the emperor, "Can I not display this gift?"

It was indeed a gift from the current emperor's brother.

Wen Miao doesn't believe in gods or Buddhas. She came to Lingyun Temple with a sense of awe, but that doesn't mean she likes to display such a small jade Buddha in her own place.

Emperor Qianyuan: "I will follow your lead in everything. Whether to arrange it or not is entirely up to Miaomiao."

He casually placed the wooden box back on the table, and seeing the beautiful woman in his arms yawn lazily, he called in the palace servants to help her wash up and prepare for rest.

Although it was called serving, everything that happened to Wen Miao was actually done by the emperor himself. Wen Miao refused to move, but after getting used to it, she went along with his wishes. After everything was settled, she was wearing a light-colored nightgown and was held in the arms of Emperor Qian Yuan, lying in the side room prepared by Lingyun Temple.

Perhaps because this place is mostly inhabited by monks and nuns, who spend their days with the dim light of the lamp and the ancient Buddha, even the softly cushioned beds still feel somewhat cold and hard when you lie down, clearly a preparation for ascetic practice.

Fearing that Wen Miao might not be sleeping comfortably, Emperor Qian Yuan turned to his side and pulled her into his arms, creating a warm and cozy space, gently stroking Wen Miao's lower abdomen.

He remembered that Wen Miao's period should be coming soon, so he needed to take extra care of her and avoid letting her catch a cold.

Wen Miao was already tired, and leaning against this familiar embrace, she soon fell into a deep sleep.

Emperor Qianyuan remained in the same position until he had thoroughly warmed the bed and lulled the empress in his arms to sleep. Only then did he open his eyes in the darkness, his mind clear and lucid.

He rose silently, the gentle and affectionate mask he had worn when he was with Wen Miao instantly falling away, replaced by a cold and indifferent demeanor.

The room was dark and quiet. Emperor Qianyuan glanced at the wooden box on the table, then put on his outer robe, left the room, and whispered to the empty courtyard, "Take good care of the Empress."

After the Shadow Guard, hidden in the darkness, responded, he turned around and walked into the cold mountain mist at night, into a more distant mountain path.

A rustling sound arose.

Emperor Qianyuan slowly lifted his eyelids and saw Prince Yu kneeling at his feet, his mouth gagged and bound hand and foot.

He was utterly disheveled, a far cry from the gentle and refined demeanor he displayed during the day when he met his wife alone.

Thinking of this, Emperor Qian Yuan suddenly smiled.

With a slight movement of his sleeve, he casually tossed a dark blue brocade pouch in front of Prince Yu.

Prince Yu, Ji Sheng, who had been captured by the Chengying Guard at night wearing only his undergarments, shuddered. In the dim light, he recognized the dark blue brocade pouch.

—This was the gift he had originally placed in the wooden box, intending to give to his new queen.

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Author's Note: [Please] Miao Miao is surrounded by countless spies of His Majesty, a morbid, airtight "protection."