Chapter 23 Chapter 23 She doesn’t want that little girl anymore (Added…
The sounds of wind and rain were blocked out, and the cool air from the ice in the room could not melt the gradually rising charming desire.
There seemed to be a noise outside, disturbing the rapid breathing in the room.
Pei Chengjue's expression instantly darkened, a coldness in his eyes. He was about to get out of bed, "Sister, wait for me."
Seeing him angry, Qiao Tang feared that Wei Qingyan was out of control outside the palace, so he couldn't let him go. He parted his lips slightly and said timidly, "Your Majesty."
Pei Chengjue paused, then she stretched out her slender fingers and pulled the gauze curtain. The curtain swayed and fell, covering the two of them tightly, and they could no longer hear any movement outside.
But outside, Wei Qingyan's face was cold and his sleeves were fluttering. In the blink of an eye, he was at the door of the palace. The guards were frightened and moved, and they were heading straight for him with swords.
"Don't move the clear inkstone!"
His sleeve was grabbed by Wei Qingmo who was chasing him. Heavy rain was hitting the window. Wei Qingyan stood stiffly in front of the palace door, pain in his eyes. He opened his mouth to speak but countless images flashed through his mind.
Pei Chengjue held Qiao Tang's finger in his mouth, protected her with his arms, and called her "Sister Qiao Tang"...
Gradually, his breathing became faster, and he couldn't help thinking, it's so quiet in there, what are Tangtang and His Majesty doing?
Wei Qingyan endured the pain from deep in his heart and recalled the scene in Jizhou when Qiao Tang approached him and kissed him.
Tangtang, who was once so close to him and warmed his heart, may be lying in His Majesty's arms at this moment. But Tangtang is not in love with His Majesty. Will she kiss His Majesty the same way she kisses him?
Even if she doesn't want to, His Majesty will force her. He only thought about it for a moment, his face turned pale, and he clenched his palms tightly. Blood suddenly dripped from his palms, and drops of blood splashed onto the ground, making a mess.
He was still thinking out of control, like a reckless beast caught in raging anger, letting the anger burn his heart and veins. Then, a mouthful of blood suddenly spurted out, choking in his throat, and his body was shaky.
"Qingyan!"
Wei Qingmo supported him, but saw his thin lips moving, a line of blood leaking out from the corner of his lips, flowing miserably across his chin, and he could no longer utter a word.
Wei Qingmo gritted his teeth, steeled his resolve, raised his hand and struck him on the back of the neck, letting him close his eyes weakly and slowly fall into his arms.
The guards retreated one after another.
Wei Qingmo supported Wei Qingyan, his expression regaining composure as he said to Eunuch Li, "Eunuch Li, Censor Wei was preoccupied with his official duties and was already feeling unwell. His mind became confused in a hurry, leading to his inappropriate behavior. I will take him to see the imperial physician immediately."
Eunuch Li suppressed his fear and nodded quickly, ordering people to clean up the blood on the ground. He was terrified. No wonder Censor Wei suddenly went crazy, it turned out he was sick.
Inside the hall, the tent was gloomy. Pei Chengjue propped himself up and his gaze, with scorching heat, caressed Qiao Tang's entire body. Qiao Tang closed his eyes as if burned.
"Sister, how can you look at me with your eyes closed?"
Qiao Tang's heart was pounding. Her delicate chin was lifted by fingers, forcing her to open her eyes. Suddenly, a bright light flooded in, and what she saw was a chest. Her cheeks suddenly turned red.
It was Pei Chengjue who took out a few night-shining pearls and casually threw them around. The brilliance of the pearls reflected the dark color in his eyes. "I have agreed to my sister's request. Sister, you must watch over me carefully."
As if he was afraid that Qiao Tang would run away, he grabbed Qiao Tang's neck with one hand, forcing Qiao Tang to look at him. Qiao Tang only took one look and felt extremely embarrassed and angry.
Pei Chengjue laughed and said, "Sister, why are you so shy? Could it be that you have never seen your ex-husband..."
The voice paused, and the fingers clenched suddenly, turning bluish-white. The corners of the lips drooped, the eyes were violent, and he said in a deep voice, "Sister."
Qiao Tang secretly thought that this was not good. Pei Chengjue had never had this experience before, so it was normal that he didn't understand. But now, in this scene, he finally realized what a husband and wife meant.
He was not the first man Qiao Tang kissed or had.
Pei Chengjue felt angry and aggrieved when he realized that there was already a man who had been with Qiao Tang before him.
Even hatred suddenly emerged from the bottom of his heart, "Sister, from now on, you must never look at other men except me!"
Qiao Tang knew that he was possessive and went over to comfort him, but Pei Chengjue still refused to give up. "Sister, I swear."
Qiao Tang was at a loss for words. She was not a three-year-old child anymore, so how could she still believe in this? Pei Chengjue's scorching gaze made her unable to help but whisper the oath into his ear.
Pei Chengjue smiled, "Then I will believe you, sister."
On second thought, after all, my sister's ex-husband was dead. Why should he bother with a dead man? From now on, he would be the only one who could be with my sister.
He straightened up again and took advantage of the situation to make a request, "Sister, you want to see me with the Night Pearl."
Qiao Tang didn't want to argue with him at this time, so he took the night pearl as he said.
The two were very close to each other, and Pei Chengjue looked at him with deep eyes.
The rain stopped, then came again, and the gauze curtain isolated everything.
After an unknown amount of time, Pei Chengjue kissed her and said, "Sister, go to sleep."
She fell asleep, as if she had had a long dream. This dream had no end and was entirely filled with Pei Chengjue's endless demands.
"Girl, girl..."
When Qiao Tang heard Nanny Wang's distressed voice, he slowly opened his eyes and looked over, only to see the candlelight flickering and it was already dark.
Nanny Wang touched her cheek and said, "The young lady has slept all day."
Qiao Tang asked in surprise, "One day?"
Nanny Wang hesitated and said, "The young lady was just sent back by His Majesty early this morning. She must be tired, so it's inevitable that she slept for a long time."
Qiao Tang understood and buried his head in the pillow in shame.
Damn Pei Chengjue, because he didn’t bring the box, he didn’t even go in, but he still managed to take so long. One afternoon was not enough, and he actually took a whole night. Where did he learn these weird tricks!
Qiao Tang was so angry that he pulled back the curtains and said angrily, "Where is His Majesty?"
"Heading the government in the main hall."
Qiao Tang wanted to hit Pei Chengjue, but Nanny Wang asked with concern, "Miss, are you feeling unwell?"
Qiao Tang turned over and sat up, covering the marks revealed by her pajamas, and shook her head. Although there were many marks on her body, Pei Chengjue did not hurt her. The only discomfort between her legs was, but this was unavoidable.
Nanny Wang was relieved. "Are you hungry, young lady?"
Qiao Tang nodded, got out of bed, had dinner, and then went to bathe. Feeling tired, he went to rest first and instructed the palace servants, "If His Majesty comes, tell him I'm asleep."
The palace ladies agreed.
At this time, the wind was still blowing, causing the rain to fall down, and the scattered raindrops knocked on the window.
In the official residence of the imperial palace, Wei Qingyan walked back from outside.
The candlelight in the room was dim, reflecting Wei Qingmo who had been sitting at the table waiting for a long time. "Qingyan, you just woke up, why did you go out in the rain?"
"It's okay, I'm just angry." Wei Qingyan untied his belt and took off his wet coat, revealing a snow-white undershirt. He put on a clean outer robe, and his scattered black hair swept across his neck and shoulders.
Wei Qingmo was surprised. In his impression, his brother was always dignified and solemn. He had never been so careless in his manners. He seemed like a completely different person in the past few days. "Qingyan, sit down!"
Wei Qingyan walked over slowly and sat down. The candlelight reflected a cold expression on his face, no different from usual. He reassured Wei Qingmo and said in a gentle tone, "I heard from Meimei that since you have divorced Miss Qiao, you should break up with her completely."
"Brother, you also heard Tangtang say that it was His Majesty who forced her to stay in the palace, not because she was in love with His Majesty. How can I rest assured?"
As Wei Qingyan spoke, he revealed an abnormal smile again, "Brother, Tangtang still only has me in her heart."
Wei Qingmo thought he had lost his beloved statue and was greatly shocked. He lost his mind and said, "Calm down. This is just your thinking."
Wei Qingyan's smile remained unchanged as he slowly rubbed his free fingers. There should have been a small statue here, but His Majesty had taken it away. The small statue, Tangtang, had been taken away by His Majesty.
Wei Qingmo tried to use gentle words to call back the dignified and serious Wei Qingyan, "Why don't you tell your brother about you and Miss Qiao?"
When Wei Qingyan heard this, he slowly put away his smile and talked about the three years he and Qiao Tang had spent in Jizhou.
After he finished speaking, Wei Qingmo frowned again. It turned out that it was all his brother's fault. He really wronged Miss Qiao. On second thought, it was true. With his brother's temper, even if his family tolerated him in every way, they would still be hurt by him. What's more, Miss Qiao, who had lived with him for three years, was hurt.
He continued, "Even if I don't tell you, you understand that no matter how much you remember Miss Qiao, the current situation will not allow you to act recklessly."
Wei Qingyan can disregard his own life and death, but he is no longer Wen Jing of Jizhou, but the second son of the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion. His every move is implicated in the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion.
"Besides, this matter between you and Miss Qiao doesn't just affect you, it also affects Miss Qiao. According to what you said before, you have already hurt Miss Qiao once. If you act rashly again and put Miss Qiao in a dilemma, wouldn't that be hurting her a second time?"
Pain flashed across Wei Qingyan's eyes. "She stayed in the palace against her will. If I could take her out..."
“No, no one can take Miss Qiao out unless His Majesty lets her go.”
No matter how powerful a person is, in front of Pei Chengjue, it is just like a mayfly trying to shake a tree.
Wei Qingmo spoke slowly, "His Majesty treats Miss Qiao very well and is ready to make her a noble concubine. Now that things have come to this, if we insist on doing anything else, we will only hurt Miss Qiao."
After a long pause, Wei Qingyan closed his eyes and said, "Brother, don't worry. I lost my mind yesterday. I will go and apologize to His Majesty right away."
Wei Qingmo stood up and said, "I'll go with you."
"It's my fault, not yours. You don't have to do this." Wei Qingyan walked out of the room.
Wei Qingmo smiled softly behind him, "Your business is my brother's business, let's go together."
Wei Qingyan was moved and nodded in agreement after a while. The two of them finalized the statement on the way and went to the main hall together to ask to see Pei Chengjue.
Pei Chengjue had been busy all day and now just wanted to go back to the bedroom to see Qiao Tang. When he heard that the two of them were coming, his expression darkened.
But Wei Qingyan and Wei Qingmo entered the hall and bowed, stating their misdemeanor in front of the hall gate yesterday and begging Pei Chengjue to punish them.
Wei Qingmo said, "Every summer, when there are heavy rainstorms, the riverbanks are often in danger of bursting. Censor Wei was unwell and confused. He misheard the news and thought the riverbank had burst. In his panic, he mistakenly entered the palace. Your Majesty, please punish him."
Pei Chengjue stood tall on the steps, his cold eyes scanning the two of them, finally landing on Wei Qingyan.
Wei Qingyan has always been preoccupied with government affairs. He was also preoccupied with government affairs yesterday, which caused him to lose his composure in a hurry. However, although his circumstances were excusable and he did not commit a serious mistake, he still had to be punished.
"Wei Qingmo will be fined three years' salary and may leave the capital and return to the border immediately. Wei Qingyan has been dismissed from his position as censor for his inappropriate words and deeds and is to be assigned to the Hanlin Academy to edit books."
Wei Qingyan lowered his eyes and bowed to express his gratitude.
"Wei Qing, please step back."
Wei Qingyan left, and Wei Qingmo knelt on the ground to say goodbye. Pei Chengjue went down the steps and helped him up. "Will my cousin blame me?"
Wei Qingmo smiled and shook his head. "Your Majesty has forgiven us too much, and we are grateful. Furthermore, if we are to be selfish, given Qingyan's personality, if he continues to serve as an imperial censor, he will probably offend all his colleagues. Your Majesty saved him by sending him to the Hanlin Academy to edit books."
Pei Chengjue smiled and said, "My cousin is quite good at talking. Please be careful on the road."
Wei Qingmo kowtowed to express his gratitude, and after he left, Pei Chengjue returned to the bedroom. When he heard the palace maid say that Qiao Tang was asleep, he went to wash and change his clothes, and then went to bed to watch over Qiao Tang.
Qiao Tang was sleeping in the middle of the night. In his hazy state, he felt a hand moving on his chest. He opened his sleepy eyes with a start and saw Pei Chengjue making a fuss.
Pei Chengjue saw her eyes glaring at him with resentment, and holding up the ointment, he explained, "I'm applying medicine to my sister."
Qiao Tang said nothing, turning around with her back to him. He coaxed her, "I indulged myself too much yesterday. Sister, just spank me."
Qiao Tang raised his hand and patted his arm softly, as if it were a beating.
Pei Chengjue laughed out loud. How could his sister be so cute? He said lovingly, "I'll be gentler. Sister, go back to sleep."
Qiao Tang couldn't sleep at all, so she just waited for him to apply the medicine so that they could sleep together.
Helplessly, Pei Chengjue's fingers were nimble, and he caressed her entire body and applied ointment, especially between her legs. The cold ointment became hot again after a while.
Pei Chengjue leaned over and hugged her, whispering softly, "Doctor Xue taught me a lot of things. Sister, do you want to try it?"
Qiao Tang thought to herself, no wonder she knew so much, but it turned out she had another teacher, which made her seem useless.
Her silence meant that she didn't agree. Pei Chengjue raised his eyebrows. After a while, Qiao Tang suddenly trembled and looked at Pei Chengjue in disbelief.
Pei Chengjue looked over innocently and said, "Just applying medicine."
Qiao Tang bit the corner of her lip lightly. "It's getting late. If Your Majesty doesn't rest, will you have the energy to handle government affairs tomorrow?"
Pei Chengjue was reluctant to tire her any further, so after hearing this, he held her tightly in his arms and fell asleep together.
Wei Qingmo needs to leave Beijing overnight and doesn't even have time to return to the Duke's Mansion. Once he has packed up, he can leave the palace.
Wei Qingyan escorted him to the city gate. He mounted his horse and leaned forward to instruct Wei Qingyan, "You must not rush into matters between you and Miss Qiao. If there is a chance of improvement in the future, we can proceed slowly!"
Wei Qingyan said calmly, "Don't worry, brother."
Wei Qingmo knew from his expression that he had already made up his mind and would not be as reckless and confused as he was yesterday, so he rode away with confidence.
The night was dark, and insects chirped incessantly beneath the city gate. Wei Qingyan withdrew his gaze, stood alone for a long time, motionless, his fingers stroking the non-existent statue.
The next day, the news of the punishment of the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion spread. When Qiao Tang heard about it from Nanny Wang, she was shocked. It seemed that even if they were blood relatives, Pei Chengjue would never show mercy. Wei Qingyan would probably have to edit books in the Hanlin Academy for the rest of his life. But then she was glad that she stopped Pei Chengjue at that time, otherwise the consequences would be unimaginable.
She sat in the room for a while, listening to the sound of rain, feeling a little annoyed, and slowly walked out of the room.
Nanny Wang asked in surprise, "Where are you going, young lady?"
"I'm going out for a walk, don't worry, Ma'am." Qiao Tang turned around, took the umbrella handed to him by the palace maid, went out alone, and slowly came to the flower garden.
The gorgeous summer flowers on a sunny day are now being destroyed by the wind and rain. The petals are falling to the ground and the branches are shaking, looking so pitiful.
Qiao Tang never paid any attention to it in the past, but today he was probably upset, so he reached out and used the umbrella to cover the branch of flowers.
But after a moment, footsteps were heard behind him, "Tangtang."
Qiao Tang suddenly turned around and saw Wei Qingyan coming. He stopped in front of him, raised his umbrella, revealing a pair of red eyes, which looked as pitiful as the petals of a flower.
Qiao Tang was stunned, and his grip loosened, causing the small umbrella to fly away in the wind. Wei Qingyan raised his arm to catch it and held it above Qiao Tang's head.
Qiao Tang was afraid that others would see him and arouse suspicion, so he deliberately avoided the distance between the two of them, grabbed the umbrella from his hand, and took two steps away.
Wei Qingyan looked at the distance between them and tightened his jaw. "Tangtang, if you want me to be content, I will be content. But can you return the statue to me?"
In the flower garden, the sad wind and rain rubbed the petals, causing them to tremble constantly, just like Qiao Tang's heart at this moment, trembling blankly.
Wei Qingyan, standing opposite, stared at him intently, his gaze persistent and filled with a hint of uncontrollable desire. He repeated, "Tangtang, give me back the statue."
Qiao Tang opened his mouth and looked at Wei Qingyan's gradually confused look, feeling a little panicked.
She thought that after three years of marriage, she knew Wei Qingyan well enough, but it turned out not to be the case. She had never seen Wei Qingyan lose his composure like this before. There was no longer any coldness in his body, only an unfathomable stubbornness.
She couldn't help but wonder, was Wei Qingyan really that devoted to her? However, she was about to become Pei Chengjue's imperial concubine. No matter how Wei Qingyan treated her, everything would be forced to disappear with the title of imperial concubine.
She only thought about it for a moment, but Wei Qingyan felt that she had waited too long, so she slowly stepped closer. Seeing that she was approaching Qiao Tang, Qiao Tang hurriedly took a step back, leaning her back against the tangled branches, feeling the coolness all over her body.
She couldn't help but shudder, her lips trembling, "The statue was blown away by the wind, and Your Majesty and I couldn't find it." She would not give the statue to Wei Qingyan, she could not have anything to do with Wei Qingyan anymore.
Before she could finish her words, Wei Qingyan saw her body tremble slightly and her expression suddenly changed. He untied her outer robe with one hand and said in a softer voice, "You caught a cold and you have to cry and drink medicine again."
Qiao Tang suddenly remembered the time when she caught a cold and took medicine. That was when Wei Qingyan treated her most gently.
But the past is gone, and there is no point in thinking about it. She calmed her heart and heard footsteps. She looked up and saw that it was Eunuch Li leading people over. She lowered her brows and suppressed all her emotions.
"So Miss Qiao is here. Censor Wei is here too." Eunuch Li hurried over, bowed to the two, and anxiously asked Qiao Tang, "Miss Qiao, it's raining and windy right now. Why did you come out?"
"Fortunately, His Majesty was concerned about Miss Qiao and was afraid that she might catch a cold while walking, so he asked me to bring some clothes."
Only then did Qiao Tang see a palace maid holding a coat. Upon hearing what she said, she walked over respectfully and put the coat on her. Another palace maid held an umbrella for her.
A group of people surrounded her, protecting her very considerately. Eunuch Li nodded, then turned to Wei Qingyan and said with a smile, "Your Majesty is anxious to see Miss Qiao, so I will take Miss Qiao there first."
Qiao Tang was surrounded by palace servants. She glanced at Wei Qingyan, who had lowered his hands from undressing. His expression remained unchanged as he slowly opened his lips and silently said to her, "Little statue."
Qiao Tang turned around hastily and silently rejected him, then followed Eunuch Li and others to the main hall.
When he saw Pei Chengjue, he first glanced at her clothes. Seeing that she was wearing an outer coat and was not cold at all, he nodded with satisfaction, "Sister, you are obedient this time."
Qiao Tang felt the hall was stuffy, so he took off his coat before approaching. His eyes were attracted by a new small portrait.
Pei Chengjue picked it up and showed it off, "I drew it. Does it look like it?"
Qiao Tang took it and took a closer look. It was exactly the same as Wei Qingyan's. He guessed that Pei Chengjue had copied it.
She smiled helplessly, "Your Majesty, do you like it that much?"
Pei Cheng nodded naturally, snatched the small statue from Qiao Tang's hand, placed it in his palm, and gently stroked it with his fingers, "If only I had met my sister earlier."
Qiao Tang was startled, as if something tickled her heart, and blurted out, "If Your Majesty likes, I can also draw some of my past self for Your Majesty." After she finished speaking, she was stunned, and regretted why she had said this. Isn't this just asking for trouble?
Pei Chengjue smiled, stretched out his long arms and held her in his arms, "Then I want many, many sisters!"
"Sister, just draw from when you were little!"
Qiao Tang was stunned. "Even I can't remember what I looked like when I was little, how can I draw this?"
"With Nanny Wang here, she will definitely remember." Pei Chengjue pressed her head against his shoulder, freeing his hands to flip open the letter, "Anyway, sister, you are not allowed to regret it."
Qiao Tang regretted it so much.
Pei Chengjue added, "There's no need to paint for the next two days. Tomorrow I'll take my sister back to the palace to prepare for the ceremony of conferring her the title of consort."
Knowing she couldn't escape any longer, Qiao Tang pressed her cheek against his neck, barely acknowledging his presence. Pei Chengjue, unsure why, thoroughly enjoyed her clinging to him. He tilted his head to kiss her hair before going back to his work.
On the second day, the two returned to the palace, and Pei Chengjue issued an imperial decree to appoint Qiao Tang as a noble concubine.
The news spread throughout the court and the harem, causing a lot of discussion, all of which was that Qiao Tang was very much favored by the emperor.
In the Cining Palace, Aunt Sulan was ordered to see Gu Yuqing off and returned to the Empress Dowager, bowing and serving her.
The Queen Mother smiled and leaned back, leisurely teasing the bird in the cage, "Yuqing's trip to the palace was not in vain."
Aunt Sulan thought about the news revealed by Gu Yuqing and lowered her head deeply.
The Queen Mother narrowed her eyes in satisfaction, as if sitting on a fishing platform. "Your Majesty wants to make Qiao Tang a noble concubine. Let's just go along with Your Majesty. He's still young, and if he gets things done too smoothly, he'll probably have to learn the hard way what it's like to fall."
Over the next few days, the palace was preoccupied with the conferment of the imperial concubine. Pei Chengjue dispatched officials to offer sacrifices to the Imperial Ancestral Temple and ordered the Ministry of Rites and Works to produce the imperial decree. Qiao Tang was also busy. The ceremony for the conferment of the imperial concubine was complex, requiring the arrival of a female official in charge of etiquette to guide her. After listening to her, Qiao Tang had a plan in mind.
On the day of her conferment, Qiao Tang was woken early and allowed the palace maids to dress her in a royal concubine's robe and sit before the mirror to do her makeup. Normally, she wore minimal makeup, but today's ceremony was so grand that she had no choice but to obey.
Nanny Wang laughed and sighed, "Our daughter has already become a noble concubine."
She was happy for Qiao Tang, but she didn't know how helpless Qiao Tang felt. Once she became Pei Chengjue's concubine, she didn't know when she would be able to leave the palace. She just had to wait.
When she was finished, Nanny Wang and the palace maids were amazed. Qiao Tang, though usually dazzling and captivatingly beautiful, always held back a bit. But today was different. Her delicate beauty was suddenly unrestrained, like a peony in full bloom, resplendent and elegant.
Qiao Tang led a group of palace servants out of the bedroom. When they reached the outer hall, he paused, his eyes filled with astonishment.
Pei Chengjue, who should have been busy with government affairs, stood in the golden sunlight, his tall and straight figure supporting the twelve-dragon yellow robe, his eyes tinged with fatigue. But when he caught sight of her, his gaze suddenly lit up with a startling brilliance. Slowly, that brilliance was filled with dark fire, which enveloped her from a distance, leaving her unable to move.
"Everyone, step back." Pei Chengjue walked over.
Qiao Tang closed her eyes resignedly, quietly waiting for Pei Chengjue's surging emotions.
The hall was deserted, and Pei Chengjue quickly approached, his presence lingering over him. Qiao Tang's fingers trembled, and he cried out inwardly, "I'll have to get myself together again later. Your Majesty, why don't you restrain yourself now?"
Sure enough, the back of her neck was held down by a hand, and she was forced to raise her neck. In a moment, the stormy kiss did not fall.
A gentle kiss fell between the eyebrows.
She blinked her eyelashes in confusion, and a kiss fell on her eyelashes, and her closed eyes were also kissed.
Her heart could no longer be restrained and was beating rapidly and strangely. She heard Pei Chengjue sigh softly, "I wish I could come of age today so I can marry my sister."
Qiao Tang's heart beat rapidly and she was trembling in her heart. Don't scare her at this time!
Another gentle kiss fell on the lips, grinding slowly, and the lingering force was as light as a feather.
After a long while, Qiao Tang lost her thoughts. Pei Chengjue withdrew his kiss, grasped her hand with his broad hand, and led her out of the palace. "Don't be afraid, sister. I'm with you."
His palms were warm, and the warmth was transmitted from his palms to Qiao Tang's heart. Qiao Tang felt at ease and his tension relaxed.
Pei Chengjue insisted on accompanying her to be crowned a concubine, a step not included in the ceremony and a violation of the ancestral rules, but no one dared to object. Accompanied by him, Qiao Tang, dressed in a royal concubine's formal attire, was led by a female official and accompanied by a royal concubine's guard of honor as she completed the complex process.
Finally, Qiao Tang went to the Cining Palace to pay his respects to the Queen Mother.
At first she thought that when the news of the conferment of the title of concubine came out, the Queen Mother would stop Pei Chengjue, but unexpectedly the Cining Palace was very quiet and there was no movement.
Qiao Tang couldn't guess what the Queen Mother meant for a moment, so he bowed to her according to etiquette. The Queen Mother happily rewarded him with many good things.
Qiao Tang grew increasingly suspicious, then thought, perhaps because Pei Chengjue was also present, and the Queen Mother didn't want to embarrass him. She quietly suppressed her inexplicable uneasiness, completed all the formalities of the consort's appointment, and returned to Taiji Palace with Pei Chengjue.
As soon as she entered the bedroom, Qiao Tang wanted to take off her heavy and gorgeous imperial concubine dress. When she was about to call the palace maid, she found that there was no one else in the hall except Pei Cheng. He came over and held her in front of the mirror, "I will undress the imperial concubine sister."
Qiao Tang's breathing quickened, and she grasped his rebellious fingers tightly, "Your Majesty has already spent a lot of time with me. Why don't you get busy now?"
"I have been busy all night accompanying my sister, and I don't have any government affairs to deal with right now.
Pei Chengjue kissed the side of her neck and unbuttoned her collar with his hands. She had no choice but to endure Pei Chengjue's absurdity in broad daylight.
In front of the mirror, the dress is disheveled and the passion is boiling.
After some trouble, Pei Chengjue contentedly changed her into a new dress and kissed her cheek. "It's a bit hot in the palace. I'll have someone send you back to the palace. I'll go there later."
Qiao Tang buried her head in his arms and nodded weakly. Then she and Nanny Wang returned to the palace and stayed there for a few more days.
Pei Chengjue was obviously tied up in court affairs and had not shown up for several days. Qiao Tang had some free time and spent two days playing with Nanny Wang and others.
During the day, Wei Ruomei sent someone to send a message to her, inviting her to go out for a night outing. She had never seen the night view of Beijing before, and out of curiosity, she agreed.
Nanny Wang was still haunted by the last time she sneaked out of the palace, and fearing Pei Chengjue would get angry again, she suppressed her restless heart and said, "Young lady, why don't you wait for His Majesty to come and go with Him?"
Qiao Tang lowered her eyes. She understood that since the letter said Wei Ruomei had invited her, Wei Qingyan would definitely go. Now that she was Pei Chengjue's concubine, and since she had decided to wait patiently until he grew tired of her, she could only find a chance to talk things over with Wei Qingyan. She then told Nanny Wang about her intentions.
Nanny Wang was delighted. The young lady had finally figured it out. She thought, "Why not send a message to His Majesty, saying we're going out for a night out and wait for His Majesty's permission before leaving?"
After hearing this, Qiao Tang raised the corners of her mouth and suddenly felt angry. She shouldn't have been here in the first place. It was Pei Chengjue who asked her to enter the palace. Now she wants to go out for a while, so is that not possible?
She said, "There is no need to inform His Majesty. As soon as I leave, someone will deliver the message to His Majesty."
Nanny Wang thought that the young lady was throwing a tantrum at His Majesty again, but then she remembered His Majesty's love for the young lady and decided to agree with her. In the end, His Majesty would only agree with the young lady anyway.
The two of them got out in a carriage and slowly drove onto the street.
When they arrived at the agreed restaurant, as soon as Qiao Tang got out of the car, Wei Ruomei threw herself into her arms, "Sister Qiao!"
Qiao Tang touched her head and looked up. Wei Qingyan was standing three steps away. He was as cold and solemn as a pine tree and smiled at her.
Qiao Tang sighed inwardly and turned away. Wei Ruomei saw this, took her hand and said with a smile, "I'll take Sister Qiao out to play!"
On a summer night, the streets were brightly lit with candles, shops were lined up, and the crowds were bustling. Qiao Tang, Mu Li, followed Wei Ruomei through the streets.
Wei Qingyan was always one step behind her. When she turned around, she saw Wei Qingyan coldly and indifferently separating her from passers-by. Her fingers curled up and her heart ached. Wei Qingyan didn't need to do this.
After playing for a long time, Wei Ruomei came over mysteriously and said, "Sister Qiao, I'll take you to a place where you can catch fireflies!"
Several people got on a carriage and came to the lake. As soon as Qiao Tangfu got off the carriage, there were flashes of light in his eyes. It turned out that many fireflies were flying in the grass.
Wei Ruomei ran over with a smile. Qiao Tang glanced at the small lantern flying in the air and motioned Wei Qingyan behind him to follow.
The two stood together by the lake.
The sky is full of stars, and the bright moonlight shines on the sparkling lake. A small boat on the lake leaves swaying water marks, and two people in the boat embrace each other, showing their deep affection.
The lanterns on the boat swayed, releasing a ray of light that flashed into Qiao Tang's eyes. Qiao Tang couldn't help but close his eyes, thinking of that summer night in Jizhou.
That night, Wen Jing took her on a boat trip around the lake. Even that prim and reserved man would become uncontrollably captivated by her words, "Wen Jing, I want fireflies." He began to flutter back and forth in the grass, his sleeves waving. Finally, he caught several, scooping them up in his sleeves to show her, his lips pursed as he said, "Tangtang's piano skills have improved recently."
Qiao Tang was dissatisfied at the time. It turned out that this was the reason why he asked her to catch fireflies. She glared at him angrily and said, "I don't want it anymore!"
She turned around angrily and stood by the lake. Seeing that Wen Jing didn't come to coax her, her eyes turned red. She turned around as if to compromise and bumped into Wen Jing's arms.
Wen Jing held her in his arms and sighed in confusion, "I listened to Tangtang's words, why is Tangtang still crying?"
A firefly crawled to the corner of Wen Jing's eyes, and the bright light it emitted illuminated the tenderness in his eyes. Qiao Tang was stunned and his heart felt warm.
It was probably because of this occasional tenderness that Qiao Tang was reluctant to let go, willing to spend three years of her energy on Wen Jing. Unfortunately, the past was gone, and her current situation had changed drastically. She was now a noble concubine in the palace, and Wen Jing had become Wei Qingyan of the Duke's Mansion. With their different statuses, her heart would no longer beat rapidly for this tenderness.
A tear fell resolutely from the corner of Qiao Tang's eye. Slowly, warm fingers reached out and gently wiped it away for her.
Wei Qingyan's voice was hoarse. "I was wrong in the past. It was Tangtang who caused all this trouble. If Tangtang wants to beat me or scold me, it's up to him."
Qiao Tang dodged his fingers, raised her neck to force back the tears in her eyes, and said, "Master Wei is just my piano teacher. Why would I hit Master Wei?"
At this moment, a sentence suddenly flashed through her mind: even if she had to beat or scold, Pei Chengjue should be beaten or scolded.
She was slightly stunned for a moment. Why did she think of Pei Chengjue?
She shook off the figure in her mind, not even looking at Wei Qingyan, and turned her back to say, "The past is gone, and I no longer have anything to do with Lord Wei. I hope Lord Wei will think twice before doing anything in the future and not implicate others."
This "other person" refers to the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion. She was still frightened by Wei Qingyan's crazy behavior that day. When she turned around to look at him, she was suddenly stunned.
Wei Qingyan clenched his fists in unbearable pain, his cold eyes turned red, and his uncontrollable emotions surged.
Fireflies flew out of the sleeves, disturbing the two people's sight.
Qiao Tang looked away, unable to bear the thought of wavering in her resolve. A firefly clung to her sleeve, its pattern illuminating her beauty. Wei Qingyan leaned closer, waving his sleeve to chase it away. His fingers couldn't help but touch the sleeve, and it vanished in a flash.
Qiao Tang took a few steps back and said, "Please respect yourself, Lord Wei." She turned to leave, but hurriedly met Wei Ruomei's red eyes and slowed down her pace.
Wei Qingyan stood in his original position behind him, and his firm voice came from the shadows, "I will wait for Tangtang, no matter how long it takes, I will wait."
Qiao Tang seemed not to hear, walked quickly, got on the carriage, threw himself into Nanny Wang's arms, and slowly sobbed.
Nanny Wang hugged her and sighed distressedly, "Miss, your fate with him is over, it's over."
Qiao Tang said silently in his heart, yes, our fate is over.
The carriage moved slowly, and Wei Qingyan stood by the lake for a long time, holding fireflies in his palms and looking at them from afar.
As the carriage entered the street, Nanny Wang wiped away Qiao Tang's tears, lifted the carriage curtain, and said, "Listen, young lady! There's an opera going on!"
She hoped to use this to make Qiao Tang happy, but Qiao Tang couldn't bear to see her worry, so he suppressed his emotions and looked over. He only glanced at the stage, and his eyes fell on the masks displayed below the stage.
"Girl, you want a mask? I'll go buy it for you!"
Qiao Tang wanted to stop her, but when he opened his mouth, his throat choked. So he just let her go. After a while, she got in the car and brought back two masks.
One was Guan Gong, and the other looked like a little fox. Qiao Tang passed by the little fox, took Guan Gong in his hand, and looked down, wondering what he was thinking.
The carriage returned to the palace. Qiao Tang felt something was different as soon as he got off. There was a sense of oppression and heaviness everywhere, and there were more patrolling guards.
All the way to the bedroom, the palace maids held their breath and bowed their heads. Before they reached the bedroom, Qiao Tang and Nanny Wang understood that Pei Chengjue had come to the palace and must be in the bedroom at this time.
Nanny Wang thought of the last time Pei Chengjue got angry, her arm trembled, and she grabbed Qiao Tang's arm tightly.
Qiao Tang pondered, "What does His Majesty look like when he's angry?"
Nanny Wang was afraid of frightening her, so she forced herself to calm down. "It's okay. His Majesty is just too fond of you. He hasn't lost his temper with you until now, and he won't lose his temper with you in the future."
Qiao Tang said nothing, grabbed the Guan Gong mask from her hand and held it in her hand. Then she changed her mind and realized that she was the one who insisted on fighting for this. Even if Pei Chengjue was angry, she would just have to bear it.
When they arrived at the bedroom door, palace maids stood on either side. Eunuch Li was so excited when he saw her that he felt like he had seen his benefactor. He hurried over to greet her, whispering as he walked, "Your Majesty was just playing the piano."
The sound of a zither could be heard from the hall. Qiao Tang frowned as soon as she heard it. This...
The sound of the piano was not pleasant at all, and was even very messy. It was obvious that Pei Chengjue was playing it randomly. Pei Chengjue was really angry.
The piano music continued for a long time, tormenting everyone's ears, and it still showed no sign of stopping. Everyone did not dare to move and endured it in pain.
Only Qiao Tang raised her sleeves to cover her ears. After an unknown amount of time, Nanny Wang tapped her with her finger. She knew the piano had stopped, so she lowered her sleeves.
Eunuch Li hurriedly informed the emperor, but unlike before, he could enter immediately. This time, it took a long time before Pei Chengjue's voice came from inside, "Noble Concubine Hui, come in."
Qiao Tang's eyelids twitched, he pursed his lips, comforted Nanny Wang, and as he stepped in, he casually put on the Guan Gong mask on his face.
Most of the candles inside and outside the hall were extinguished, with only one lamp standing beside the piano stand. The flickering light and shadow reflected the lonely figure of Pei Chengjue standing in front of the piano.
He leaned down and plucked the strings with his fingers. Another burst of chaotic sound came out, covering up Qiao Tang's slowly approaching footsteps.
Qiao Tang paused and tapped Pei Chengjue's shoulder without waiting for the music to stop. Pei Chengjue didn't look back and continued to play the piano.
Qiao Tang bit his lip. He was so angry that he would have hugged her in the past.
She walked to Pei Chengjue's side and tilted her head to look at him, but she saw that his expression was emotionless and he didn't even glance at her, his sleeves hanging down on the body of the zither.
Qiao Tang quietly reached out and grabbed the sleeve, gently pulling it, prompting Pei Chengjue to straighten up. He glanced over sideways, and a deep look flashed in his dark eyes.
His eyes fell on Guan Gong's mask, his jaw tensed, his thin lips pursed into a straight line, and suddenly his lips moved, revealing an unpredictable smile.
Qiao Tang's heart skipped a beat.
He sat back in front of the zither stand, leaning his upper body against it, his neck tilted upwards as he gazed at Qiao Tang, then slowly called out, "Noble Concubine Hui."
He waited quietly.
Even without saying anything, Qiao Tang seemed to understand what he meant. Qiao Tang bit her lips until they turned red and took off the mask hesitantly.
Pei Chengjue plucking the strings of the zither in an urgent manner. Qiao Tang suddenly leaned over and kissed his forehead. The touch was warm and light as wings.
Pei Chengjue closed his eyes contentedly, his Adam's apple rolling, and he comfortably enjoyed Qiao Tang's active kiss.
From the center of the eyebrows to the eyes, and then to the straight nose bridge, she kissed one after another, and when she reached the thin lips, she pressed her lips against them and did not move.
The thin lips urged dissatisfiedly, and she had no choice but to respond.
Suddenly, a hand came around her waist and pressed her into his arms, forcing her to continue without even giving her a chance to breathe.
She moved uneasily, and a pleading sound escaped her lips, "Your Majesty, I know I was wrong."
Pei Chengjue did not cool down. He held the back of her neck with one hand and pressed her against his cheek. She resigned herself to her fate and continued to move closer.
After a long time, her grip finally loosened, allowing her to breathe. She took the opportunity to shake the Guan Gong mask and asked in a trembling voice, "Your Majesty, do you still need this mask?"
Glancing at Pei Chengjue's quick attempt to suppress the corners of his lips, she smiled inwardly. She knew Pei Chengjue would fall for it, and shook her mask again, "Your Majesty, don't you remember?"
"I don't remember." Pei Chengjue turned his head and said lightly.
Qiao Tang sighed inwardly, it seemed that he was really angry and didn't even want such a good opportunity to tease her.
She feigned anger and broke free from Pei Chengjue's embrace. She sat beside the zither stand and casually plucked the strings. Her dissatisfaction was mixed in the sound of the zither. "Your Majesty doesn't remember, but I remember it clearly."
Pei Chengjue was still angry, "Sister, I should be the one who is angry!"
He put his arm around her and clamped her chin.
Qiao Tang felt pain and patted his shoulder.
He then let go and stared at Qiao Tang, as if he would get angry again if Qiao Tang couldn't say what he wanted to hear.
Qiao Tang gritted his teeth and admitted defeat, "This is the mask your majesty wore when he first met me."
"Sister, you still remember this." Pei Chengjue smiled, his eyes tinged with tenderness. He picked up Qiao Tang and left the zither stand. "Sister, accompany me to bathe."
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