Chapter 32 Chapter 32 Qiao Tang, who am I!
"I really don't know, Your Majesty, please don't overthink it."
Qiao Tang showed weakness and timidly turned around to hug him. The corner of her lips brushed his chin, then moved back lingeringly and kissed him gently.
She thought she could coax him into submission, but Pei Chengjue actually raised his neck and dodged away, his smile still thick. He pressed his fingertips against Qiao Tang's lips, "Sister."
"Is this what I'm asking?"
The pain on his lips filled Qiao Tang with fear. At this moment, his desire to survive outweighed his desire to leave the palace. "I'm not going to study anymore!"
He opened his lips with his fingertips. "Sister, you're not lying, are you?"
Qiao Tang was teased by him, and tears appeared on her lips pitifully. She felt aggrieved and helpless in her heart. Why did he become so difficult to appease?
Clearly, when I was eighteen, I kissed him and acted pitiful, which made him pity me and treat me tenderly. Could it be that my heart has hardened with each passing year?
Qiao Tang didn't believe it. Her eyes turned red and she couldn't speak. She looked at him pitifully with her only pair of affectionate eyes, begging him to be more considerate.
Pei Chengjue lowered his eyes, pressed his gaze down, and stared at her for a moment. His fingertips did not loosen, but instead exerted pressure, quietly waiting for her answer.
Qiao Tang felt even more aggrieved, and she also felt that Pei Chengjue was also a fickle person. When he loved her, he treated her like a treasure, but when the pain stopped, he didn't care at all. Slightly angry, she used the tip of her tongue to push open her fingertips, "Your Majesty, don't worry. I won't lie. If I say I won't learn, I will never learn from you again!"
Even if she didn't learn, with Pei Chengjue's fickle personality, he might still agree to choose a concubine. Why should she make herself suffer?
The warm room was silent. In the silent embrace, she lowered her eyes to hide her emotions. Suddenly, a soft handkerchief pressed the corner of her eyes. The handkerchief gently wiped away the moisture from the corner of her eyes and left with Pei Chengjue's fingers.
"It's cold, sister, go back to Taiji Palace to rest today."
Qiao Tang was very confused after hearing this. Pei Chengjue's attitude was really changeable. Sometimes he forced her, sometimes he cared for her, and then he rarely didn't let her accompany him. She really couldn't figure it out.
But since Pei Chengjue asked her to leave, she didn't need to stay any longer. "Your Majesty is busy, I will return to Taiji Palace." She stood up, left Pei Chengjue's arms, and went straight out of the warm room.
There was no one looking after her, which was another strange thing. Qiao Tang went down the stairs and pondered secretly. After a long while of hesitation, she came to a conclusion: she had persuaded Pei Chengjue to choose a concubine, which made Pei Chengjue angry. He didn't like her as much as before. The fact that he forced her and drove her away in the warm room just now was proof of that.
Thinking of this, Qiao Tang felt depressed, but then she felt a little relieved. This was obviously a good thing. Maybe she was about to be abandoned by Pei Chengjue.
Along the way, the cold wind felt like needles piercing his skin, and Qiao Tang raised his neck to glance at the sky.
It was clearly morning, the sky was gloomy, and the black clouds were like layers of cotton wool, hanging low. It must be snowing.
At this time, the palace maid who was sent by Pei Chengjue to invite the empress dowager came back. Later, the empress dowager slowly walked into the Qinzheng Hall, just missing Qiao Tang.
"Mother, please sit down."
Pei Chengjue's face was filled with worry. He pressed his fingertips between his brows and said to Tai directly, "This son deeply regrets sending the portrait back to the Cining Palace last night."
The Queen Mother was delighted, "Your Majesty, have you figured it out?"
Pei Chengjue sneered, "I should burn it down."
"Nonsense! How can you burn someone else's girl's portrait?"
The Queen Mother knew immediately that he was going to stand up for Concubine Hui and take his anger out on her. Sure enough, Pei Chengjue said, "It's easy to stop having a fever. If you have any problems in the future, just come to me and don't have to see Concubine Hui anymore."
The Queen Mother was already so annoyed by his sentimental heart that she lost her temper. She thought that since Qiao Tang had already agreed to leave the palace, there was no need to be angry.
Now that she was no longer angry, she felt like joking. Noticing Qiao Tang wasn't in the hall, she smiled and said, "It's better not to see him. This way, your Majesty won't get angry with Concubine Hui and come to find fault with me."
"How dare I find fault with you, Queen Mother? It's just—"
Pei Chengjue suddenly fell silent.
When the empress dowager saw this, she was overjoyed. She finally understood. Her son always thought that the trouble between him and Concubine Hui was caused by her, and never noticed that the problem actually lay with the two of them.
She pretended to be puzzled and asked, "Your Majesty is with Concubine Hui every day, why is Concubine Hui not here today?"
Pei Chengjue just said, "It's cold, why bother calling her out?"
"It's not cold in this hall."
The Queen Mother didn't mind giving another strong dose of medicine, "Your Majesty, do you know why I keep asking you to choose a concubine?"
Pei Chengjue was not interested and did not answer. He stroked his empty fingertips and pursed his thin lips. He missed his sister a little and regretted letting her leave just now.
"It doesn't matter if Your Majesty doesn't answer. There's one thing Your Majesty has probably never considered. The girls from the noble families you can choose from are not already married like Concubine Hui. Once they enter the palace, they will definitely be devoted to Your Majesty."
"What does the Queen Mother mean?"
Pei Chengjue raised his eyes in displeasure and listened to the Queen Mother say, "The meaning is very simple. Concubine Hui has been married and has had a husband before. Your Majesty is not her first man."
Things in this world are based on first come first served. Those who come first will definitely have the advantage. When the Queen Mother successfully used Wei Qingyan to coerce Qiao Tang, she knew that Qiao Tang was a soft-hearted and nostalgic girl, and there must be a place for Wei Qingyan in her heart.
"Your Majesty is young and unmarried, so he doesn't understand what husband and wife mean, but Concubine Hui does."
"Your Majesty did not obtain all of Concubine Hui..."
"Someone, send the Queen Mother back to the palace!"
Pei Chengjue's low growl suddenly came from behind the imperial table. The empress dowager was so frightened that she swallowed her unfinished words and walked closer to the imperial table with a distressed look on her face.
The pile of memorials obscured Pei Chengjue's view, and only his angry voice could be heard clearly, "Mother, please go back!"
The empress dowager turned around with reluctance, and looked back at her son before leaving the hall. She saw that he was alone and immersed in state affairs. From his angry voice just now, she knew that he must be annoyed and a little sad.
At this moment, she couldn't help but be dazed for a moment, and the cold face of the late emperor suddenly flashed through her mind. Since ancient times, emperors have not been like the late emperor, with three palaces and six courtyards, owning many beauties, and never caring about love?
Why was it that when it came to her son, it was just Qiao Tang who won her son's heart?
This shouldn't be the case. The Queen Mother suddenly became cruel again. No matter how sad her son was now, it was only temporary. There was no everlasting love in the palace. As time went by, she would forget Qiao Tang.
She walked away.
The hall was silent except for the sound of a broken cinnabar brush rolling down the imperial table and falling to the bottom with a crisp thud.
Slowly, the long sleeves fell down, and a hand stretched out to pick it up. The blue veins on the palm were prominent, highlighting the pale skin color, which was very scary.
In the late afternoon, snow really began to fall from the sky. At first, it was like jade chips falling down. Qiao Tang opened the window and looked out. The snowflakes fell on his hair and melted immediately, leaving behind a few drops of coolness.
Soon, the snow became as big as goose feathers, floating down lightly. Nanny Wang walked to Qiao Tang's side and exclaimed in surprise, "The first snow of this year is so heavy."
The window was wide open, and Qiao Tang's hair had turned a little white. She reached out to catch the falling snow with interest.
Nanny Wang couldn't bear to close the window. "Young lady, you've been painting portraits all afternoon. You must be tired. Why don't you go and rest?"
Qiao Tang shook her head and stared at the snowflakes. She sighed that it was a pity to only be able to watch them from inside the palace. She pursed her lips slightly and said, "I'm going out to see the snow. None of you are allowed to follow me."
Nanny Wang wanted to persuade her again, but she was firmly stopped. She had no choice but to put on a white fox fur cloak and repeatedly warned, "Young lady, please be careful!"
Qiao Tang agreed and quickly walked out of the Taiji Palace. Under the falling snow, she walked for a while, then hesitated and turned in the direction to go to the Qinzheng Palace.
The cloak and plush hat covered her fair face. There were also a few palace servants walking in front of her. She walked to the back, holding a snowball in her palm, and walked briskly for a while.
Suddenly, a group of figures came from the front. She couldn't see clearly at first because of the flying snowflakes, but she felt that the sound was very loud. She saw several palace ladies standing against the wall with their heads bowed, and she followed suit.
Gradually, she could hear the sound of footsteps, in unison, stepping steadily across the snow. As the footsteps approached, she could hear the palace servants kneeling and bowing, "Your Majesty, your servants respectfully send you off!"
It’s Pei Chengjue!
Qiao Tang looked up in surprise, only to see the imperial carriage passing by, with several guards in front and bearers in dragon robes carrying the sedan chair. Heavy snow fell and slowly melted on the curtains.
Even though the flying snow blocked his view, Qiao Tang still caught sight of Pei Chengjue on the sedan chair. He was leaning against the backrest, his elbows resting on the armrests, his face lowered, his chin supported by his hands, his eyes closed lazily, and it was unknown what he was thinking about.
Naturally, Qiao Tang couldn't be seen.
Qiao Tang's lips slightly opened, and the cry that was about to come out was suppressed by her. She slowly lowered her head and let the imperial carriage slowly go away.
The warm plush hat completely obscured her helpless smile. Thinking about it carefully, if Pei Chengjue had not met her on the street that day, she and Pei Chengjue would never have met. Just like now, they met as if they were strangers.
When the next spring comes and she leaves the palace, it will probably be just like now. He will be the high and mighty emperor, sitting on his throne, tired of state affairs, and will not even glance at her standing by the wall.
As Qiao Tang thought this, the snowball in her hand melted, and the cold water soaked her palms. She wanted to go back to Taiji Palace.
As the imperial carriage slowly moved away, Pei Chengjue slowly opened his eyes and looked back with a sense of something. There was nothing in the flying snowflakes. He pinched his eyebrows irritably and said, "Stop!"
The imperial carriage stopped and he lifted his injured foot to get off. The guard immediately extended an arm to him. He helped himself down from the sedan chair and stood to one side, squinting his eyes and looking ahead.
The accompanying eunuch Li ran forward in confusion, but after running about ten steps, he suddenly saw a woman walking slowly towards him. She was wearing a white fox fur cloak, and a soft and delicate face was revealed under the fluffy hat.
"Noble Concubine Hui!"
Eunuch Li shouted with joy, thinking that His Majesty was amazing. He could even see Concubine Hui behind him in the heavy snow!
His sudden shout was heard beside the imperial carriage, and several guards hurried over immediately. They were all people who followed Pei Chengjue. How could they not know that Concubine Hui was the apple of His Majesty's eye?
Qiao Tang was walking along when suddenly a eunuch named Li rushed out, followed a little later by several guards. They all saluted her and then surrounded her and brought her to the imperial carriage.
She glanced at Pei Chengjue, but saw Pei Chengjue lower his eyes, glanced at her, and turned around without saying a word and got on the sedan chair.
She didn't know why, but she felt that it was difficult to get close to Pei Chengjue. She just stood there motionless and said softly, "Your Majesty... didn't expect to meet His Majesty..."
Pei Chengjue's hand on the armrest suddenly tightened, and he glanced over through the falling snow, "Where is Concubine Hui going?"
Qiao Tang felt that he had really changed and was really beginning to dislike her after hearing his indifferent tone. This was a good thing, right?
She bit her lip and said, "Just came out to see the snow."
After a moment of silence, Pei Chengjue gave the order, "Sit down and watch."
She sat on it, next to Pei Chengjue. The imperial carriage moved slowly, and she couldn't help but clench her palms. They were wet and a little uncomfortable.
Her movements attracted Pei Chengjue's attention. He grasped her palm and his expression suddenly darkened. "Why is it so cold?"
She felt a little embarrassed and lowered her head. "I made a snowball, it melted, and I didn't have time to wipe it dry."
There was another silence, and Pei Chengjue silently wiped her dry with his sleeve. She looked up, and their eyes met for only a moment.
Pei Chengjue lowered his head and kissed her.
It was hasty, reckless, and with an emotion that Qiao Tang couldn't understand, gnawing at her heart.
Pei Chengjue kissed slowly, the falling snow fell on his eyebrows, melted into water, and dripped across the corners of his eyes.
He was completely unaware.
There was heavy snow, covering the sky and the ground, enveloping the two of them.
Qiao Tang closed her eyes and raised her neck to meet Pei Chengjue. Pei Chengjue paused, then launched a stormy kiss, trying to plunder everything from Qiao Tang.
Qiao Tang lay in the same bed with Pei Chengjue until the evening, and she still hadn't recovered from the kiss in the snow. Seeing this, Pei Chengjue slowly narrowed his eyes, lifted her cheek, and even passed her half a pot of wine.
She had no choice but to swallow it all and was placed on the bed by Pei Chengjue. Pei Chengjue lowered the gauze curtain and the night pearls were scattered all over the bed.
Everything about Qiao Tang was exposed in Pei Chengjue's eyes.
Slowly, Qiao Tang's consciousness became blurred, his heart felt hot, and his whole body was burning as he searched for coolness. One hand touched Pei Chengjue's waist and abdomen.
Pei Chengjue watched quietly.
After a long while, she whimpered in pain and slightly opened her lips for help.
Pei Chengjue then kissed her, and the kiss made her breathing disordered and her mind more confused, but she still felt it was not enough and started to cry softly.
Pei Chengjue picked her up, held her in his arms, and coaxed her gently, "Sister, don't cry. I'll go in and help you."
Qiao Tang was as soft as a pool of spring water and a stream of bright blood. She was no longer able to think rationally and could only nod.
Pei Chengjue's eyes darkened. "I'll just go in and make my sister pregnant. Is that okay?"
Pregnant?
Who is pregnant?
Her?
Qiao Tang was trembling all over, his lost consciousness struggling to regain clarity. Amidst his weak sobs, he managed to utter, "No, no."
"Don't want what?"
Pei Chengjue hummed seductively, "Sister, please explain clearly."
Qiao Tang's lips trembled slightly as they brushed against Pei Chengjue's cheek. He said nothing more and just shook his head.
Pei Chengjue continued to confuse her with kisses, his thin lips opening and closing several times, and finally closing his eyes and saying, "Tangtang, tell your husband, what don't you want?"
Qiao Tang seemed to have forgotten where he was. Deep in his memory, he recalled the sadness of the past years. He sobbed softly, "Don't have children. You don't like them."
Pei Chengjue's eyes suddenly turned cold, "When did I ever say I didn't like it?"
Qiao Tang stopped crying, hugged him tightly, unable to bear it any longer, and stopped talking. She just wanted to melt into Pei Chengjue's body.
"You said it!" Qiao Tang suddenly realized that his body was very cold. He shivered and tried to escape, but he pressed him into the quilt with a palm.
"Qiao Tang, who am I!"
Qiao Tang couldn't hear clearly. Her black hair was tangled in the quilt, and her cheeks were flushed. She wanted to stand up, but Pei Chengjue pushed her back, "Tangtang, call my name."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com