Chapter 42 Morning Tenderness and Unpleasant Parting
Chapter Forty-Two: Morning Tenderness and Unpleasant Parting
The next morning, sunlight filtered through the veil of rosy clouds, illuminating the inner palace with a soft, hazy glow.
Su Su slowly woke up amidst a close, intimate embrace. In the instant her consciousness returned, she found herself still lying on Li Qianche's bare chest, her naked body pressed tightly against his, especially her ample breasts, which, due to this prone position, were pressed against his hard chest, their shape slightly altered. Her cheeks flushed.
She groaned softly a few times, unconsciously twisting her waist, trying to break free from this overly intimate and even somewhat sticky confinement.
A deep, hoarse voice came from above her head, and at the same time, a warm, large hand gently stroked her smooth back soothingly: "Awake?"
Li Qianche, he actually woke up, or perhaps he hadn't been sleeping soundly at all.
Su Su's cheeks flushed red, both from the awkward posture. Her voice carried the languor of early morning and a hint of barely perceptible embarrassment as she whispered, "Your Majesty... please rise."
She thought to herself: This guy was up all night last night, and she still has a sore back.
Upon hearing this, Li Qianche let out a low, pleasant chuckle.
"It seems my beloved consort has rested well..." His voice was hoarse, carrying a clear danger signal. Before Su Su could react, he nimbly rolled over and pinned her firmly beneath him. A burning kiss followed, silencing any possible protests from her. A new round of conquest had begun.
"Ugh...!" Su Su futilely pushed against his firm chest, pleading brokenly between breaths, "Your Majesty...no more...I...really can't take it anymore..."
Li Qianche looked at her rosy skin and misty eyes, and softened considerably, but didn't stop. He breathed heavily and coaxed in her ear, "Be good, just one last time."
Su Su was so angry she almost bit him, and she accused him with a sob in her voice: "Your Majesty... last night... you said it many times... this is the last time..." The grievance and disbelief in her words made Li Qianche chuckle softly. He continued, instead kissing her lips, swallowing up her more protests.
Outside the palace, Chunlan and Qiuju, who could vaguely hear the commotion coming from inside again, exchanged a glance, their faces flushing. Qiuju couldn't help but mutter under her breath, "Your Majesty... is far too unrestrained..." Chunlan remained silent, but her eyes were filled with worry.
Nearly an hour later, the commotion inside gradually subsided. Li Qianche was finally satisfied and pulled her soft, limp body into his arms, stroking her back gently with his large hand, as if soothing a cat with its fur standing on end.
Su Su was so tired that she didn't even want to move her fingertips. Her whole body felt sore and weak that she felt like it was falling apart. She was too lazy to pay attention to his movements anymore. She closed her eyes and nestled in his arms, wanting only to fall into a deep sleep.
Li Qianche looked down at her with a good mood. Seeing her so obedient and nestled in his arms, the inexplicable restlessness and emptiness in his heart seemed to be filled a little.
He lowered his head and gently kissed her sweaty temples, then her forehead, and finally lingered for a moment on her slightly swollen lips, his movements unusually tender.
"Susu," he said softly, his voice carrying a languid aftertaste and a rare serenity, "Regarding the matter of the Prince of Ning's heir... I may have been too inconsiderate at the time."
He paused, seemingly choosing his words carefully, "In the past... you have indeed acted too willfully. I only wanted to use this to temper your temperament, not that... I don't trust you at all." He felt the delicate body in his arms stiffen for a moment.
Su Su's heart was filled with turmoil. Why did he suddenly bring this up? Was it a test, or...?
She dared not think too deeply and immediately responded in the safest way, her voice carrying a deliberate calmness and obedience: "It was my past misconduct that brought this trouble upon myself. It was my fault, and I dare not blame Your Majesty."
Li Qianche frowned; he didn't want to hear her admit her mistake. He raised his hand and awkwardly stroked her hair, trying to speak more gently: "It was I... who didn't think things through, causing you to harbor resentment."
These words were already a huge concession for him. "In the future, as long as you don't act too spoiled, I... will not treat you like that again." He felt that these words had already humbled him greatly, and he had never explained or promised anyone like this before.
Su Su was even more puzzled. What was the purpose of his sudden "reflection"? But she still answered in the direction she thought was "correct": "Your Majesty is too kind. Now that I have been granted the title of Noble Consort by Your Majesty's grace, I will certainly do my duty and manage the harem well for Your Majesty. I will restrain myself and no longer act as willfully as before. Please rest assured, Your Majesty."
She thought for a moment and figured he probably wanted to hear her promise to be obedient and not compete for anything, so she added, "I will do my best to take good care of Consort Wan and the child in her womb, and I will make sure that nothing happens to them." She felt that her words were exemplary for a concubine in the harem, virtuous and beyond reproach.
Li Qianche felt a lump in his throat, the anger he had just suppressed resurfacing. He didn't want to hear these high-sounding official words, and he especially didn't want to hear her bring up Mu Hanyan! Why could she always misinterpret his gestures of goodwill as concern for someone else?
Seeing his silence, Su Su assumed he was worried about Mu Hanyan and felt she should be more "magnanimous," so she continued to gently persuade him: "Your Majesty... you haven't visited Consort Wan for a long time. She is pregnant now and needs care the most. If Your Majesty has time... why not go and see her more often?"
These words were like the last straw, completely igniting Li Qianche's anger. He sat up abruptly, grabbed a robe from the side and put it on, his voice instantly losing its usual coldness and hardness, filled with obvious anger: "Since the Imperial Concubine is so 'magnanimous,' considering me and the six palaces in every way, how can I fail to live up to the Imperial Concubine's kindness? I will go and visit Consort Wan right now!"
After saying that, he stopped looking at her, quickly dressed, and left, leaving behind a room filled with a sudden drop in temperature and a bewildered Su Su.
Su Su sat up, wrapped in the brocade quilt, and blinked blankly at the other side of the bed, where his anger had taken away the warmth.
What...did she say wrong again? She was clearly speaking according to the highest standards of virtue and understanding, so why was he angry? A man's mind, especially the mind of this emperor, is truly more difficult to comprehend than that of the women in the harem. She took a deep breath, feeling utterly exhausted. She lay back down, ignoring him, pulled the covers over herself, and went back to sleep.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com