Chapter 161 Even after dismembering and devouring the bones, he was still not satisfied.

No one spoke in the hall for a long time. The scent of ambergris lingered around her nose, and the tall figure remained standing in front of her without moving.

But Ji Qingwu remained kneeling.

Her knees really hurt. She regretted not getting up when the emperor told her to. Now she was in a difficult situation.

Ji Qingwu's forehead was covered in fine sweat. She secretly raised her eyes and saw Emperor Wusu staring at her face.

She immediately turned her face away, stiffening her neck, not wanting him to see.

Ji Qingwu remembered clearly that the first thing he did when he saw her after she entered the palace was to have a dark expression on his face, without the slightest hint of joy.

Emperor Wusu condescended to squat down, kneeling on one knee, and pinched her chin.

"If you don't want me to see it, who do you want to see it?"

His deep gaze swept over every inch of her soft skin.

Ji Qingwu felt a strange sensation; just being stared at made her skin feel numb, prickly, and itchy.

She lowered her dark eyelashes, her expression still stubborn, refusing to look at him.

Her chin, pinched by his fingertips, throbbed slightly; her translucent skin, touched by his gaze, flushed crimson, revealing the delicate charm of a young girl.

If Ji Qingwu were to look over at this moment, he would definitely be frightened by his expression.

Because the other person's eyes were filled with blatant lust, as if he would not be satisfied even if he dismembered her and devoured her whole.

Today is also a coincidence.

Just as Ji Qingwu broke free of his disguise, he ran into Wei Ting, who had secretly returned. The two even met at the entrance of the Qin Zheng Hall.

To the emperor inside the palace, it looked like old lovers meeting again, gazing at each other tenderly from a distance of several feet.

Ji Qingwu even took the initiative to bow, her light and agile figure making it seem as if she were about to pounce on someone if there weren't outsiders present in the palace.

When it was his turn, he knelt down with a thud, still unwilling.

Even the most passionate Emperor Wusu's heart cooled.

He lifted her face and instead cupped her chin in his palm, making it easier to examine her face closely. His long fingers caressed her soft earlobe, tracing the shape of her ear.

"Everyone says that people who are easily influenced are obedient and sensible, so why aren't you like that?"

Even the emperor believed this?

Ji Qingwu lifted her eyelashes, but immediately looked away when her eyes met his.

His movements were extremely gentle, as if she were the most precious treasure in his palm, but his expression... was full of destructive desire.

It shows both a desire to cherish something and a desire to restrict it at every turn.

Ji Qingwu felt a sudden alarm bell ringing in his mind.

This danger made her want to stay away, yet it also held a certain allure.

The pain in her knees still reminded her that she couldn't be a moth drawn to a flame, burning herself out for fleeting pleasure. Ultimately, she was manipulated by the Empress Dowager and others, imprisoned in the palace—this was not the outcome she desired.

Emperor Wusu noticed her watery eyes shimmering as she moved, wondering what she was planning.

He lowered his eyes, concealing the dark emotions he had just released until they could no longer be seen through them.

He said, "You made all sorts of excuses before, refusing to show your true face to me. Why did you agree today and even come to the Hall of Diligent Governance on your own initiative?"

Ji Qingwu's heart skipped a beat.

Did he discover her little scheme?

Emperor Wusu lowered his eyes, his fingers still roaming freely over her neck: "They say a woman adorns herself for the one who appreciates her, so what is the purpose of your actions today?"

What was her motivation?

As Ji Qingwu listened to her own pounding heartbeat, she began to understand what was on her mind.

She had been waiting for this moment.

Everyone has flaws, and she was no exception.

She didn't want to provoke him, but he used forceful methods to carve out a place for himself in her heart.

Why is it always her who gets flustered by him? That's not fair.

She also wanted to see the emperor, high and mighty, lose control and fall for her, and wanted to see clearly how much he truly loved her.

But after seeing Consort Wei today, Ji Qingwu calmed down completely. She knew that the more entangled she became with the emperor, the more likely she would be the one to fall into the abyss in the end.

This vast Phoenix Palace has many hidden secrets that she cannot see through, and the person in front of her is someone she cannot understand or control.

Even if Ji Qingwu were completely out of his mind, he couldn't possibly ask the emperor, who possessed the entire empire and a harem of three thousand women, for a sincere heart.

She needs to find a way to hide her feelings.

Ji Qingwu said, "Your Majesty, I am showing this to myself, not to anyone else. It is for my own pleasure."

When he learned that her answer wasn't about another man, Emperor Wusu's expression softened.

He reached out and put his arm around her back, then used his other arm to lift her up by the knees, and swept her up in his arms.

Ji Qingwu exclaimed softly, "Your Majesty, please put me down. I can walk by myself."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Wusu suddenly released his arm from her back. Ji Qingwu felt her body sinking down and quickly reached out to hook her arm around his shoulder.

Once she regained her balance, she found herself clinging to him.

"Walk by yourself?"

Ji Qingwu: ......

"Li Yuzong." Emperor Wusu's expression finally returned to its usual indifferent state.

A small crack was pulled open from the outside of the hall.

The chief steward, accompanied by Lan Ling, sneaked in and cautiously observed the situation inside the hall.

"This old servant is here."

"Get in here."

Upon hearing the Emperor's voice without showing any anger, Li Yuzong immediately slipped inside.

When he saw the emperor carrying Ji Qingwu and striding towards the inner room, his wrinkled face relaxed, and he approached with a smile.

I admired her in my heart. As expected, it was Miss Ji who could handle such a grand scene that would terrify countless people.

"Go and fetch the Jade Radiance Ointment."

Emperor Wusu carried Ji Qingwu toward the right side of the hall, where there was a soft couch.

Li Yuzong was taken aback.

Yu Rong Ointment is a miraculous medicine for promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis. How could His Majesty even punish Miss Ji?!

Emperor Wusu looked at him coldly: "What are you standing there for? Hurry up and go."

Ji Qingwu glared at him, her bright eyes filled with indignation. If it weren't for them, would she have suffered like this? This eunuch Li had even pushed her at the palace gate, disregarding her wishes.

Li Yuzong lowered his head guiltily and said yes, then scurried out to get the ointment.

Ji Qingwu hadn't even withdrawn her supposedly fierce gaze when Emperor Wusu caught a glimpse of her expression.

He raised an eyebrow and said, "Awu hasn't said yet why he's come to see me."

Ji Qingwu had a better understanding of the emperor's temperament, but at this time he couldn't mention the palace servants who served in the Qin Zheng Hall.

She sat on the edge of the couch, her crescent-white skirt draped over the gold bricks.

She thought of something and said, "When I entered the palace, I met Princess Qingyun. Her Highness said that she wanted something for her wedding ceremony, oh?!"

Ji Qingwu's voice trembled slightly as she stared intently at the emperor's hand, exclaiming in surprise, "Your Majesty?"

He suddenly lifted her skirt.

"You say what you want."

Emperor Wusu sat next to her, rolled up her skirt to her waist, revealing the off-white jacquard silk trousers underneath.