Chapter 35 Chapter 35 Forget about the past, as long as my sister is happy...
The thin lips were about to kiss Qiao Tang's cheek, but Qiao Tang dodged hastily, and the thin lips kissed nothing, then slowly withdrew in disappointment.
"Sister, you have forgiven me once, so you must not forgive me a second time. Where is the whip I gave you? Feel free to use it."
Pei Chengjue knelt down in front of her, raised his sleeves to undress, and took off his upper body clothes, revealing his broad shoulders and narrow waist.
The muscles on his shoulders and back were like solidified fat, with strong bones of steel hidden inside. His arms were clearly textured, as if cast in iron, without a trace of empty flesh.
This body, taller than that of an adult man, was suddenly exposed to Qiao Tang's gaze, oppressively trapping her in the seat and blocking her from escaping.
In the bright sunlight, she could see it clearly, but her cheeks turned red at the first glance and she quickly turned away.
She would never really whip Pei Chengjue, so she evaded the issue by saying, "I am no longer angry. There is no need to use the whip. Please put on your clothes, Your Majesty."
Pei Chengjue didn't move, just looked at her quietly, their eyes were level, and she quickly understood Pei Chengjue's desire and expectation.
She hesitated, and seeing that Pei Chengjue was not going to give up, she had no choice but to lean towards Pei Chengjue, and her lips landed on his brow, as light as a feather, pausing for a moment before withdrawing.
This kiss lasted longer and was softer than the one from last night.
This eliminated Pei Chengjue's hatred for the kiss last night.
Pei Cheng smiled and said, "Thank you, sister."
He wrapped his arms around Qiao Tang's waist contentedly, rubbed his face against her jaw, and embraced her lovingly.
Qiao Tang raised his sleeves and then dropped them hesitantly. In the end, he did not hug her back. He glanced at the broken bowl on the ground, frowning with worry.
"Last night, Your Majesty and I..."
She turned her cheek and her lips touched Pei Chengjue's ear. Pei Chengjue restrained himself from kissing her back, "I was so impatient that I hurt my sister."
Pei Chengjue was afraid that she would think he was jealous, so he didn't want to tell her what happened last night. He only explained, "I fed my sister the antidote, and—"
He whispered, and Qiao Tang's body trembled slightly, her cheeks flushed. Then she felt relieved and her brows relaxed. Fortunately, she was not pregnant.
But since she had already said that she was not feeling well, she could not refuse Pei Chengjue's request to summon the imperial physician, so she let the imperial physician examine her and prescribe her some medicine.
She endured the discomfort and drank it, and was kissed by Pei Chengjue the next moment. Pei Chengjue passed her a mouthful of sugar water, and she was forced to swallow it to relieve the bitterness in her mouth.
Pei Chengjue held the back of her neck tightly.
Gradually, she realized something was wrong. Pei Chengjue's kiss was no longer as reckless and hasty as before, but more careful and gentle.
It turned out that instead of eagerly plundering, he had learned to restrain and protect, burying the surging emotions in his heart under tenderness.
Qiao Tang's heart was in turmoil, and he laughed at himself.
When she first entered the palace, both she and the Queen Mother were certain that Pei Chengjue was only interested in her on a temporary basis, so she deliberately got close to him and tricked him into tasting the sweetness of love, hoping that Pei Chengjue would get tired of her as soon as possible so that she could leave the palace.
Now it seems that she has tied herself up in a cocoon, trapped in Pei Chengjue's deep and profound affection. She is trying her best to break free, and she doesn't know whether she can really leave the palace smoothly after the New Year.
Qiao Tang's heart was in turmoil, and suddenly she felt a pain on her lips. She opened her eyes and found that even if Pei Chengjue was unhappy, she was afraid that she would not be happy, so she could not get angry. She asked in a low voice, "What are you thinking about, sister?"
She thought about it and wanted to bring up the matter of choosing a concubine again, so she asked tentatively, "Has Your Majesty ever done this with other girls?"
In the past, Pei Chengjue would have thought she was jealous, but now he was suspicious. His smiling eyes turned into cold stars in the abyss, staring straight at Qiao Tang.
"Are you jealous, sister, or do you want me to kiss other girls?"
Somehow, as soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly remembered a few small things: the many girls who appeared at the flower-viewing banquet in spring, and Gu Yuqing who wanted to play the zither for him in the palace...
It was all his sister's request, and she brought them to him, as if she was intentionally trying to attract his attention or to get him out of the way.
Pei Chengjue's face darkened.
Qiao Tang was horrified and had a bad feeling. The gentle Pei Chengjue just now was gone, and the man in front of her was going to treat her very badly.
The pain of being tortured last night came to her mind. She had suffered enough and didn't want to suffer anymore. In a hurry, she threw herself into Pei Chengjue's arms, raised her neck and kissed Pei Chengjue's lips.
Pei Chengjue let her kiss him, and his hard and cold heart began to warm up. It didn't matter. All the previous things were forgotten. There was no need to mind them. As long as his sister had him in her heart and was happy, that was enough.
Outside the window, the snow is falling and there is no sign of stopping.
The next day, the snow was still falling, and the sky and the earth were covered in white. Qiao Tang was reluctant to leave the palace, and refused to go to the Qinzheng Palace on the grounds of feeling unwell.
After avoiding Pei Chengjue for a few days, the snow stopped and she finished painting the last portrait. When Pei Chengjue saw the portrait, he stared at it for a long time before ordering the palace servants to put it away properly.
Seeing him walking briskly and in high spirits, Qiao Tang knew that his foot injury had healed. When he was picked up by him, he no longer cared and let him hold her and carry her out of Taiji Palace.
"The Duke of Zhenguo has returned to the capital and is waiting for me in the Qinzheng Palace. Sister, please go and see him."
Qiao Tang understood, "So it's my uncle who's back. No wonder His Majesty is so happy."
Pei Chengjue joked back, "Sister, calling me uncle is really nice."
"Your Majesty's uncle."
When it comes to joking, Qiao Tang can't win over Pei Chengjue, so she forced a snort. Pei Chengjue laughed out loud, "Alright, I'll let you take advantage of me."
Seeing that he was about to repeat his old trick and lean over to kiss the corner of Qiao Tang's lips, Qiao Tang took a step back to avoid him and looked up at him.
But he looked back at her with a handsome face with clear lines and a smile on his face, as if the moody Pei Chengjue from a while ago had never appeared.
He was still the heroic and unrestrained young man in spring and summer, who had made Qiao Tang's heart palpitate several times.
It turned out that after only one autumn and winter, Qiao Tang's throbbing excitement had been scared away by fear.
Qiao Tang blinked his sore eyes, not allowing himself to think any further. He turned around and was about to leave when he suddenly heard a rustling sound. It turned out that the snow on the branches was falling.
The raindrops fluttered down in the air, but before they could land on Qiao Tang's hair, Pei Chengjue blocked them with his sleeves, and only one drop landed on Qiao Tang's hairpin.
Pei Chengjue's mind moved, he lowered his head and gently took it with his lips, holding it quietly in his mouth, watching Qiao Tang swallow it.
Even though Qiao Tang was completely unaware and hadn't even glanced at him, he still happily savored the snow petal that had been scented with Qiao Tang's scent.
"His Majesty?"
Qiao Tang looked back and urged him in confusion. He responded with a smile and walked away side by side with Qiao Tang.
When they arrived at the Qinzheng Hall, a military officer in his early fifties came over. His face was purple with a hint of red, his eyes were as bright as lightning, and although his temples were a little gray, his body was strong and straight.
"Uncle, there's no need to be so polite."
Pei Chengjue helped the Duke of Zhenguo up as he knelt before him, then turned his head to look at Qiao Tang and said to him, "Uncle, this is my Imperial Concubine Hui."
Qiao Tang suddenly felt a sharp gaze coming at him. When he looked at the Duke of Zhenguo, the Duke of Zhenguo was about to bow his head and salute, "This old minister greets the Imperial Concubine."
Qiao Tang hurriedly said, "Duke Zhenguo..."
"You should call me uncle." Pei Chengjue interrupted her and looked at her with a smile. She had no choice but to change her words, "Uncle, no need to be polite."
The Duke of Zhenguo's eyes flashed, and he was served by the palace servants and sat down. Qiao Tang and Pei Chengjue sat behind the imperial table and listened to the two men talking about state affairs.
After the political affairs were over, they started chatting. Qiao Tang secretly glanced at the Duke of Zhenguo a few times, and felt that Wei Qingyan's eyebrows and eyes were also like the Duke of Zhenguo. Probably when he was fifty-six years old, he would also look like the Duke of Zhenguo.
She was still thinking, when she suddenly heard the Duke of Zhenguo say, "Before the late emperor passed away, he left a will to this old minister, ordering him to supervise Your Majesty."
Pei Chengjue laughed. Qiao Tang glanced at him. His brows relaxed, and he looked handsome and confident. "Since I ascended the throne, have I done anything wrong?"
He had truly done everything the late emperor and his ministers had asked of him, and that's why he asked the Duke of Zhenguo this question.
Unexpectedly, the Duke of Zhenguo also laughed, "Your Majesty has left the throne vacant and has not valued the royal heir. Am I wrong, this old minister?"
Qiao Tang suddenly realized that this person was probably persuaded by the Empress Dowager to come and persuade Pei Chengjue to choose a concubine.
Qiao Tang could see that Pei Chengjue treated his elders, whether Prince Xiang or Duke Zhenguo, with respect and courtesy.
If Pei Chengjue was willing to listen to him for the sake of his elder status, Qiao Tang's heart would suddenly start beating rapidly, and he would feel that leaving the palace was just around the corner.
Suddenly, her hand was wrapped in Pei Chengjue's warm palm, and she heard Pei Chengjue solemnly explain, "Uncle, don't worry. When I come of age next autumn, I will marry Concubine Hui. By then, we will have both the empress and the heir."
He was completely honest and had no intention of deceiving or teasing the Duke of Zhenguo, his elder, or Qiao Tang, his close associate.
For a moment, the hall was silent. The Duke of Zhenguo was slow to speak. Qiao Tang glanced at him thoughtfully and met his deep gaze, which made him feel a chill in his heart.
The Duke of Zhenguo was about to speak when Pei Chengjue suddenly said, "Uncle, there's no need to worry too much about my marriage. I've always had a good relationship with Concubine Hui. As for Wei Qing, since he's divorced his wife, uncle should also give him more consideration."
He intended to bring up the marriage between Wei Qingyan and Princess Jingyi again, but the Duke of Zhenguo immediately laughed it off and avoided the topic. After sitting for a while, he stood up and took his leave.
Qiao Tang just felt that he seemed to have run away. Could it be that he, like the Duke's wife, did not agree with the marriage between Wei Qingyan and Princess Jingyi?
"Are Wei Qing and Pei Jingyi so incompatible?"
Pei Chengjue could see that the Duke of Zhenguo was avoiding this matter. He was puzzled and looked at Qiao Tang, hoping that Qiao Tang would give him an answer.
Qiao Tangsi said, "Editor Wei is too cold-tempered to marry Princess Jingyi."
Pei Chengjue only said one sentence, "Pei Jingyi likes Wei Qing."
No matter how many reasons there are, they cannot outweigh this sentence. No matter how much evasion and excuses there are, they cannot outweigh Pei Chengjue's determination. He must arrange a marriage for Princess Jingyi.
Qiao Tang said no more, but just thought in her heart that she hadn't seen Wei Qingyan and Princess Jingyi for a while, and she didn't know their current situation. Why not go to Wenhua Palace tomorrow to check on them?
Suddenly, Pei Chengjue said, "In my opinion, you sisters haven't seen the whole picture of Wei Qing. Wei Qing has a cold personality, and I used to think he was very boring."
"But I saw Wei Qing teaching my sister to play the piano. He spoke softly and gently, and was very patient. How can I know that he won't treat Pei Jingyi the same way in the future?"
He believed that every word he said made sense, but Qiao Tang's heart tightened, fearing that he might sense something was wrong. He casually said, "Your Majesty, why don't you ask Princess Jingyi for her opinion?"
"Why not ask my sister?"
Qiao Tang came to ask, and it was indeed more appropriate, so she nodded in agreement. However, she was still uneasy in her heart, and she could not sleep well even at night.
In the middle of the night, she suddenly woke up from a nightmare, with sweat on her forehead. Seeing that there was no one beside her, she was confused. She slowly got up, put on her clothes and got out of bed.
In the main hall of Taiji Palace, candles were brightly lit. Pei Chengjue stood there in his robe, his black hair scattered around his neck and shoulders.
In the dead silence, the palace maid prostrated herself on the ground with her neck hung low, her thick winter clothes soaked with cold sweat, with water seeping out.
Cheng Su, who was sent to Jizhou by Pei Chengjue, asked his subordinates to take the secret letter back to the capital to report. Since the subordinate presented the secret letter to Pei Chengjue, he has been kneeling, and even the hardest bones were softened by fear.
Half an hour has passed now.
No one knew what was written in the secret letter. All we knew was that after His Majesty read it, he burned it with candlelight and never made another sound.
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