Chapter 45: Xiao Chengjing is probably really drunk...

Outside the Purple Palace, the sky was darkening.

The wind made the bamboo curtains in the corridor snap.

Xiao Chengjing stood in front of the window with his hands behind his back, his brows furrowed.

He couldn't read a single word of the memorials on the desk, and only felt a nameless anger rising in his heart.

The newly appointed Minister Zhou lowered his head slightly, bowed, and walked five steps to the front of the emperor. Just as he was about to pay his respects, he saw that the emperor was still standing at the window with his hands behind his back. He had no choice but to lower himself even lower and hold his breath.

Xiao Chengjing stared at the gloomy sky outside the window. After a moment of silence, he spoke, "Zhou Qing."

"I am here."

Xiao Chengjing turned slowly, his gaze landing on Minister Zhou as if it were real, and he looked him up and down: "Recently, several memorials have been submitted, saying that Concubine Shu's mother's family is humble and she is not suitable for raising." His tone was flat, but Minister Zhou's heart skipped a beat when he heard it.

Xiao Chengjing continued to slowly repeat the words in the memorial, "It also states that the virtuous concubine is of noble character and comes from a noble family, making her the most suitable candidate to raise the imperial heir." At this point, a hint of sarcasm flashed in his eyes. "What do you think, Lord Zhou?"

Minister Zhou's breathing became lighter, as if even breathing became a disturbance.

He lowered his already hunched body even further. "Your Majesty...is dull." His voice was tense, each word carefully weighed between his teeth. "Such inappropriate remarks are truly absurd and only disturb Your Majesty's pure hearing...I beg you to die."

"Oh?" Xiao Chengjing's tone rose slightly, seemingly asking casually, but the atmosphere in the hall grew more tense. "Lord Zhou, do you think this is ridiculous? I, on the other hand, think that there are quite a few people who are so confident."

"Your Majesty, calm down!" A layer of cold sweat instantly broke out on the back of Minister Zhou's neck. "This matter of presuming to guess the emperor's will and sowing discord with the royal family, I will do my utmost to investigate it thoroughly!"

"Yeah." Xiao Chengjing nodded slightly and uttered a few words, "Go and do it."

Just as Zhou Wenqian relaxed a little and was about to leave, the voice from the head of the group rang out again, its tone no louder than before: "I don't want to hear this a second time."

"Yes." Minister Zhou bowed and left the hall.

Xiao Chengjing stopped looking at him and turned to the window again.

After thinking for a moment, I decided to go see her.

Shu Yao was dressed in a plain palace dress, sitting on the beauty's bench in the corridor, concentrating on a plate of delicate snacks in her hand.

Seeing this scene from afar, Xiao Chengjing waved his hand to stop the palace servants from reporting and walked along the corridor alone.

A long shadow fell on the blue brick ground in front of her, blocking out the light.

Turning around and seeing that it was him, Shu Yao narrowed her eyes slightly and stood up to salute.

"No need." Xiao Chengjing stretched out his hand, pressed lightly to stop her movements, and sat down beside her.

His eyes swept across the deserted corridor, and he couldn't help but frown. "Why are you sitting here eating alone? What if you catch a cold?"

Shu Yao turned sideways and looked back at the palace behind her.

The twilight flowed along the contours of her cheeks, adding an indescribable loneliness.

The corners of her mouth twitched slightly, her smile as faint as newly melted ice. "But I think... it tastes better this way." She retracted her gaze, gazing at the flowers and trees in the courtyard. "No matter how wonderful the world within the palace is... it's still confined to a small space. Here, at least there's more scenery..." She lowered her head and poked the snacks on the plate with her fingertips. "What do you think, Your Majesty?"

These words were like a tiny needle, which pierced his heart with a light touch, and anger arose naturally.

He cleared the way for her at all costs, but she showed no gratitude?

But the anger dissipated in just a moment.

After all, he was the one who forced it first...

This thought made his throat feel tight, and he was filled with confusion.

He had apparently calmed down a few days ago, so why did he become so cold and frosty again now?

The corners of his lips moved slightly, and finally turned into a low and hoarse question: "Are you... still blaming me?"

"Your Majesty is here again." Shu Yao slowly turned her head and looked at him dimly. "Resentment or not... deep love, shallow fate..." She shook her head, her tone indifferent, revealing a resigned fatigue. "Even I can't explain it clearly... Your Majesty, why do you insist on asking for a clear answer?"

Xiao Chengjing's throat choked, thinking that he clearly cared about her, so why did he ask for an explanation?

The words came to my lips, but I couldn't utter a word.

Just as he was speechless, Shu Yao had naturally taken his hand and led him into the hall.

He was slightly startled, and felt that her fingers were as cold as jade. He subconsciously closed his palms, wanting to transfer some of his warmth to her quickly.

Shu Yao seemed to realize something and turned back with a faint smile.

Xiao Chengjing finally let out a long sigh: "I won't ask anymore..."

The two of them walked into the inner hall. Xiao Chengjing saw a pot of wine on the table and his heart sank.

Her body is clearly not suitable for drinking...

Concern rushed to his lips, but he suppressed it.

The previous few sentences had already made him so distant. If he acted rashly again, he would be afraid that a careless word would push her further away.

Forcefully suppressing his emotions, he lowered his voice very slowly and asked tentatively, "Yaoyao, what are you saying...?"

She didn't answer, but just raised her hand and motioned him to take a seat.

After he sat down as she said, she picked up the jade pot.

The wine is poured into the glass, spreading out in fine circles.

She gently pushed the glass towards him, tilting her face up at just the right moment.

Tears were about to fall, but they were still welling up in her eyes, just the right amount of fragility.

"Your Majesty, would you listen to what I have to say?" Beneath the sorrow, there was a tightening temptation.

Xiao Chengjing lowered his voice a bit: "You say."

Shu Yao ignored his obstruction and bowed down, spreading her wide sleeves on the ground.

When she raised her face, her eyes were clear and piercing. "I would like to ask Your Majesty for a favor..." She spoke word by word, "When the child is born, please issue a decree to have the child raised by the virtuous concubine." Without waiting for Xiao Chengjing to react, she continued, "Your Majesty, please understand. I am, after all, a tribute girl from the Kingdom of Li. This child is half foreign blood. In the eyes of the court and the public, this is a sin. Some have already submitted petitions arguing that the mother should be abdicated and the child spared. Even if Your Majesty suppresses these public criticisms, the private rumors that someone is not of our race and must have different hearts will never be dispelled."

"Your Majesty, why not go with the flow? This will both calm public opinion and preserve the overall situation." She spoke a little slower, as if condensing her unspoken worries into her words. "Life in the palace is difficult... Your Majesty and I have both experienced it firsthand." She took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, not entirely insincerely. "I only hope this child will never suffer the same hardships you and I did."

"Sister Xianfei comes from a noble family with strict traditions and a deep foundation in the court." She spoke clearly, as if she had been pondering this for a long time. "If the child is registered under her name and recognized by the Qingliu faction, most of the obstacles of bloodline will be removed. This is not for me or Xianfei, but simply to give the child a legitimate foundation for his life." At this point, she changed the subject slightly, with a hint of determination, "If Your Majesty can agree to this... I am willing to let go of past grudges." Finally, she leaned forward, touching her forehead lightly to the ground, resolutely cutting off all escape routes. "Your Majesty, this is the best way out I can plan. I beg Your Majesty... to grant me..."

Xiao Chengjing stared at her, unable to tell what she was talking about for a moment.

Was her words meant to stab him, or was she truly planning for him?

The jade cup suddenly burst between his fingers, and the wine mixed with blood flowed down: "But what did Shen Jingshu say to you?" His voice was hoarse, and the dark color in his eyes surged.

She chuckled softly, "Your Majesty, have you forgotten? I have lived in the Jin Palace for fifteen years."

"It's not that I can't even guess this..."

She took out a new jade cup, picked up the wine pot, and tilted her hand slightly.

The amber liquor drew a smooth arc and poured into the glass with a clear sound.

She gently pushed the refilled jade cup in front of him.

He suddenly reached out and grabbed her wrist as she was about to retract it.

The force was so great that her fingertips trembled and some of the wine in the glass swayed out.

"Look into my eyes! Are you really not being forced?"

She let him hold it.

Then she slowly raised her eyelashes, and her watery eyes met his surging anger, and she said slowly: "Your Majesty knows that the root of this matter lies with you and me, so why involve the virtuous concubine?" Her voice was as soft as water, and her words were as sharp as a knife.

After saying this, her eyes dropped, glancing at the glass of wine on the table, and she added lightly, "Your Majesty, please have a drink. If it weren't for me not being able to drink, I would definitely raise my glass and drink it to the brim with Your Majesty."

He couldn't see through her anymore.

He stared at her for a moment, then raised his head and drank the wine in the glass.

He let the liquor burn his throat, as if trying to convince himself.

He stretched out his arms and held her tightly in his arms, his voice trembling with suppression: "Yaoyao, I..." The rest of the words were stuck in his throat, and only the hot breath remained, which made the skin on the side of her neck tremble.

Her body stiffened for a moment as he held her. Her hand, suspended in mid-air, hesitated for a moment before finally lowering itself, and with a slightly unfamiliar touch, she gently stroked his tense back twice.

The touch was gone in an instant, and instead of relieving his thirst, it aroused a deep sense of powerlessness.

The light touch not only failed to bring any comfort, but instead aroused deep powerlessness.

He suddenly realized that her suggestion of letting go just proved that she couldn't let go at all.

It's not that she doesn't care, but that she cares too much.

I care so much that I would rather be separated from my own flesh and blood than not cut off my connection with him.

A strange sense of satisfaction suddenly arose in my heart.

Even though her most ardent desire was to escape, he possessed her deeply in a way that she could never express.

He suddenly let go, grabbed the wine jug, poured three cups in a row, and drank them down with his head tilted back.

The last cup was thrown hard on the ground, broken jade scattering everywhere, and the cracking sound echoed throughout the empty hall.

He suddenly grasped her shoulders and looked deeply into her eyes, which seemed to contain thousands of words.

But in the end, he didn't utter a word, and just weakly held her in his arms.

There was nothing romantic about this hug, only a desperate possession.

A pair of trembling arms wrapped around her loosely, afraid of breaking her, and even more afraid that she would disappear.

His tall body completely hunched over, his head buried deep in the crook of her neck.

Like a drowning man sucking in the last air, he desperately breathed in the fragrance of her hair.

"Don't go..." A hoarse, unclear, and discordant whine flowed out from her skin.

He was in a terrible state, but he was completely unaware of it. He just used all his strength to suppress his trembling and murmured in her ear over and over again: "Yaoyao... don't go... please... don't go..."

The remaining wine formed a small dark puddle on the ground, reflecting the swaying candlelight, like a broken mirror.

Shu Yao thought: Xiao Chengjing must be really drunk...