Chapter 45 Chapter 45 [VIP]
Emperor Yuan Shuo saw that she was in high spirits and said calmly, "If Yi Niang likes it, my husband will talk to you for a while. Don't push your luck."
Shen Youyi couldn't help laughing: "But wasn't it my husband who ran into my boudoir first, and..."
Between the two of them, who was the one who was pushing the issue further?
Emperor Yuan Shuo sighed softly. She had gotten enough sleep, so she naturally had the time and energy to ask him questions. Curious about their past, he said gently, "Then sit on the couch. Ask anything you want."
Seeing a hint of fatigue on his face, Shen Youyi had no intention of asking him to hurry back, but since this incident had been caused by her, she didn't want to tease him any further tonight and asked curiously, "Have we been married for a long time?"
Although Emperor Yuan Shuo was somewhat concerned about her late husband, he felt no need to lie about such trivial matters, so he calmly replied, "Less than two years."
Shen Youyi smiled slightly: “Then we have children?”
Emperor Yuan Shuo paused and said, "This matter is not urgent."
"So there is none?"
His amnesiac concubine tilted her head in thought for a moment, then glanced at him oddly, looking him up and down before cautiously asking, "My dear, have you ever thought about why?"
The question was rather illogical, but he was almost frank. Emperor Yuan Shuo certainly understood her doubts, but his expression remained calm. "Yi Niang has amnesia. Taking those medicines won't help her conceive."
Whether he succeeded or not, she would know later. Emperor Yuan Shuo was not angry about her. "Tomorrow morning, I will take you to the camp and live with me. You will gradually understand some things."
This self-proclaimed title caught her attention, and Emperor Yuan Shuo patiently explained her questions one by one, including her current rank, the number of concubines in the palace, and his age and birthday.
The emperor's words were golden, and she quickly accepted them without any questions.
As for her past as the wife of Marquis Lingyang, she herself could not remember it, and Emperor Yuan Shuo would not bring it up on his own initiative.
"So your majesty has many concubines." Shen Youyi turned her head away and played with her hair. "Then I am a little offended."
She had asked all the questions she needed to ask and was about to return the peace and quiet of this place to Emperor Yuan Shuo. However, just as she was about to stand up, the man in the bathtub grabbed her wrist. Although the emperor was looking up at her, his imposing aura was still there.
His tone was slightly depressed: "Who allowed you to leave?"
The man's palm was soaked with fragrant dew and had some heat from the hot spring. The force he used to hold her was not strong, but it was impossible for her to escape.
She was not allowed to stay, nor to leave. Shen Youyi smiled slightly and said in a low voice, "I'm clumsy and can't do anything if I stay here. You will find me annoying if I ask too much."
She said reservedly, "Being with the emperor is like being with a tiger. I am afraid that I will not be able to serve you well and make you unhappy."
Emperor Yuan Shuo stared at her intently, almost wanting to forcefully pull her in, leaving her with no dry spot on her body, so that she could only stay in this small space with him.
He whispered, "Yi Niang, I shouldn't have come back today."
The emperor's words were lingering, and Shen Youyi's heart trembled twice. She said "hmm", a little at a loss.
She didn't ask anyone to mislead him into returning to the palace... It wasn't like she or the Queen was dying, so he could just wait ten days and then come to Yaoguang Palace to visit her.
"Sometimes I think I love you too much and shouldn't break the rules just for you. But I've broken so many rules that I feel like it's nothing."
At first, he just thought that every emperor would have his favorite concubines, so she could also receive better treatment than others. Perhaps it has exceeded the standards that a noble concubine should have, but a favorite concubine should also be like this.
But later, he thought, her life experience was so complicated and pitiful, and it would be understandable if the king was kind-hearted and could tolerate her a little more.
Then, he even had the idea of deposing and enthroning the emperor.
He placed the back of her delicate hand against his swollen forehead and sighed softly, "You ask how I am, but I'm very uneasy."
Although she wasn't sick to a terrible degree, seeing her in person would always be more reassuring than reading words on paper.
Shen Youyi's desire to seduce him suddenly faded. A man, even the most arrogant monarch in the world, said this to her when they were both sober... He was very uneasy.
She shouldn't have sympathized with him, but after thinking it over again, he finally left his concubines, ministers, and soldiers in the tent and came back to see her.
While she was sleeping, how many people were running around and working hard for her little thoughts?
Her hands naturally climbed up to the back of his head and pressed it tentatively. Emperor Yuan Shuo trembled at the gentle force. His blood was still hot, and he stopped her, saying, "Someone will come and do this."
The Grand Medical Bureau has masseuses who are specifically responsible for massaging the emperor. She is sick and does not need to serve others like this.
"If you don't want me to leave, I'll show my vulnerability in front of him. Fortunately, she's standing behind him," Emperor Yuan Shuo said, closing his eyes and leaning against the wall. "I must be of some use if I stay here and bother you."
"The child, to relieve his fatigue, saw his breathing gradually stabilized, then stretched out his hand to beckon Tan Rui in, and gently moved to the outer room, and gave each of them two pieces of silk and ten taels of silver."
Tan Rui accepted the order. She was also startled tonight. She said softly, "Your Majesty just went into the inner chambers before I could pass on the message. I'm afraid he must have frightened my wife."
A smile appeared on Shen Youyi's lips, and he comforted her softly, "This is none of your business. Those on duty tonight have worked hard. Please prepare more snacks and hot tea in the kitchen... After His Majesty has used them, you can give them to everyone."
The words were so important that she was terrified of such power, but she also felt happy and guilty.
Tan Rui was an old hand who had been working in the palace for a long time, and she didn't need to be instructed on any extra matters. Shen Youyi quietly returned to the palace and looked at the man behind the screen for a while.
Emperor Yuan Shuo slept lightly for only a short while. He was used to light sleep. There was someone staring at him blankly, and he was not completely unaware in his dream. But when he opened his eyes, that person was sitting on the couch fiddling with the snacks that the palace servants had just brought in.
He didn't have the habit of having snacks and soups when bathing, but she insisted on letting him taste a few mouthfuls, and brought the bird's nest porridge to his lips and fed him some: "You are so old, why don't you take good care of yourself?"
"I heard them say that the food on the stove is always ready, so I asked them to stew something delicious."
She liked crispy rolls made with milk, green salt, and rose juice, so she asked him to try some too. "Bird's nest isn't very tasty, so I asked someone to bring some pickled duck feet and shrimp cakes, as well as some sour and salty fragrant papaya and pepper plums. If you like roasted pancakes and pickled fish, or if you want something hot, I'll have someone make them right now."
The huge inner court existed to serve the emperor, so he didn't need to take care of himself. However, he still listened to her nagging quietly and selected a few midnight snacks and taught her how to feed them.
Emperor Yuan Shuo was a person who paid attention to health preservation. As he grew older, he had to give up his appetite. Although eating at night was not a way to maintain health, everything today was unorthodox enough, so he agreed with a smile.
He didn't know how many more peaceful days and months like this would last, and he actually felt a little greedy.
But even then, he almost lost his sleepiness. The water gradually cooled. He saw her busy instructing people coming and going to remove these things. He said softly, "Yi Niang, go to the outer room and take a rest. There are others to take care of the rest."
It was their first day of acquaintance, and it was still a little inappropriate for him to completely expose his body in front of her. The faintly visible scars had already caught her eyes, but the man's unwillingness to settle down... He was not in a position to explore the differences between men and women with her for the time being.
Seeing that he was in high spirits, Shen Youyi's heart moved slightly, and she refused to obey him. She walked behind Emperor Yuan Shuo, leaned over and hugged him and acted coquettishly: "Are they more considerate than me in serving you?"
Her strong back bent slightly because of the sudden softness, but the water droplets wet her pajamas. The two of them were pressed tightly together. He moved forward without leaving a trace, and she was also pulled forward, and her loose sleeves were soaked.
Shen Youyi wanted to tease him a little more maliciously, so she uttered a low "ah" and complained, "What's wrong with you?"
The emperor who had just taught her to be more dignified stood up... He turned around and looked down at her.
His expression was cold, but his eyes showed undisguised plunder and occupation.
Shen Youyi felt a little timid. She wanted to say something awkwardly, but the emperor's expression did not allow her to disobey.
He treated her so gently that sometimes she would become complacent and think that even the emperor would allow her to tease him frivolously.
Emperor Yuan Shuo held her arm tightly and said, "Yi Niang, my tolerance has its limits."
Shen Youyi was slightly stunned. He said this as if he knew she had done something wrong, but the next moment...
The water is freezing cold.
Emperor Yuan Shuo's voice was low and hoarse, making her feel numb. "Help me change my clothes."
Shen Youyi didn’t dare to look him in the eye, but once she lowered her head, she felt something was wrong.
She was almost embarrassed to the point of falling into the cracks of the ground, covering her cheeks tightly with her hands, but when she thought about what she had done, she immediately took her hands away!
"Yiniang, this is how it is between husband and wife."
Emperor Yuan Shuo looked at her pitiful and frightened face, but he was calm. His gentleness was tinged with a man's viciousness: "You may not remember anything, but you must get used to serving your husband in the future."
Bullying a weak woman, turning the tables, helped him lose a lot of his temper. Emperor Yuan Shuo made no secret of how much pleasure he derived from her: "In the future, you must know more about the importance of things."
Shen Youyi tidyed up his pajamas with trepidation, but she herself was nearly torn to pieces by that hawk-like sharp gaze. She almost ran away, but all she got was a chuckle from the king.
Emperor Yuan Shuo stretched out his arm, picked her up by the waist, and gently placed her on the couch. Seeing that she hesitated for a moment, she raised her hand to untie her skirt, tilted her neck for him to pick, and her expression was not so stern.
Shen Youyi's hands were still trembling with the dexterity they once had, and before she could even solve the first barrier, someone grabbed her hand.
With their fingers intertwined, Emperor Yuan Shuo leaned over and kissed her between the eyebrows. Seeing that she didn't even close her eyes, he coaxed her softly, "Yi Niang, tomorrow's journey will be very tiring. How about I read you some articles to help you sleep?"
She couldn't be tired, so of course it was better to take a car, but that wasn't very comfortable either. Shen Youyi hadn't originally planned to do it all at once, but he happened to get happiness from her, and now he was satisfied, but she felt empty, and a lot of dissatisfaction arose in her heart. She turned around and didn't want him to coax her: "I don't want to go out, I'm very tired."
Emperor Yuan Shuo would not be surprised by anything a patient with amnesia might do. He finally felt relieved and said to her with a smile, "It's quite interesting. Yi Niang, don't be afraid of seeing people. They will just flatter you, so you don't need to say anything."
Shen Youyi thought about it and bargained: “Then I don’t want to take medicine, and you don’t let anyone use needles on me, then I will go.”
She wanted to try that method and bear a child for the emperor as soon as possible, so she refused to take the medicine. Emperor Yuan Shuo was a little displeased, but he didn't want her to leave him even a step. Only when he held her tightly in his palm could he feel at ease. He sighed softly and said, "That's up to you."
He couldn't even be sure whether it was the medicine given by Song Yuanshi that stimulated her again.
Shen Youyi was finally satisfied, and found a comfortable position in his arms, her eyes sparkling: “Yi Niang wants to hold you.”
She had not slept with him many times after waking up, and she knew that Emperor Yuan Shuo had some unacceptable rules and habits, and she even had secrets that could not be shown to others, but she seemed to be able to sleep more peacefully in his arms.
Emperor Yuan Shuo patted her back gently, his eyes soft and he told two stories with a smile. Then he looked at her peaceful sleeping face as he did when he first entered the palace, but he was in a different mood.
The two of them quarreled for half the night and were both a little tired. Until the next morning, they were still like two lovebirds, hugging each other tightly, and neither of them was willing to get up.
Emperor Yuan Shuo's sudden return to the palace must have alarmed the Queen Mother and the Empress. He was originally going to pay his respects to the Queen Mother, but Yiniang's hand tightly grasped the corner of his clothes, so he called the eunuch in, gave him a few words of advice, and then lay back down beside her.
He was always conceited, and treated his favorite concubine worse than Emperor Ai of Han, unable to even cut off a piece of her clothes.
There are many things in the world, and there are always some that are worthy of the emperor's anger in the eyes of others.
On his desk lay the documents that he had not had time to read carefully.
Emperor Yuan Shuo would have been troubled by this in the past, but today it was just a perfunctory excuse.
When the Queen Mother woke up in the morning, she heard from the palace maids around her that the emperor had suddenly returned to the palace, so she immediately went back to Yaoguang Palace to rest. She felt a little dissatisfied with the Imperial Concubine for a while, but before she could send someone to ask, the eunuchs in front of the emperor had already arrived at Wangming Palace to plead their case.
"Your Majesty's return to the palace is for both state affairs and family matters."
The eunuch briefly recounted a few matters that had occurred in the court. Seeing the empress's expression soften slightly, he added subtly, "A high-ranking official has submitted a letter claiming that the Prince of Zhao has abducted another woman in Handan County."
The Queen's expression was a little unhappy, and she said angrily, "Why is this child doing something stupid again?"
To rob a commoner woman or even a minister's wife is not a serious crime for the royal family, but it is really a headache that the emperor's brothers have this hobby of robbing other people's wives and daughters.
She held her forehead and said, "Your Majesty is busy with all sorts of affairs, and yet he still has to take care of his petty affairs like cockfighting and running dogs. I wonder how angry he must be... Fortunately, the imperial concubine has changed her temper. She has taught her to serve Your Majesty well and to advise him whenever she has the chance. Your Majesty refuses to listen to an old woman like me, and he also refuses to listen to Madam Wei."
Seeing this, the eunuch hurriedly said, "Your Majesty is wise and virtuous, and is also the most filial to the old lady. How can Your Majesty and the Imperial Concubine bear the consequences of your words?"
The Queen Mother only listened to such flattering words. As a mother, some of the words might have a counter-effect on the Emperor. The Queen Mother knew very well the temperament of her eldest son. He was simply domineering and self-centered. The Emperor could tolerate his siblings, but no matter whether it was a mother or a concubine, their attitude towards the Son of Heaven must be the highest level, otherwise they would feel unhappy.
But the same words, when spoken by a favorite concubine, sound very different.
The Queen Mother sincerely thought so. She smiled and said, "Your Majesty must be very tired. Later, we will ask him to come with the Royal Concubine. She will sing and think about the story of the departed soul. Who knows what she will come up with? Let our Majesty listen to it and make him laugh."
The eunuch, having received the oral instructions, seized the opportunity and said, "Madam Wei has already advised Your Majesty to return to the camp. There is no need to cause discord between brothers over this matter. When we return to the palace, we will pay our respects to the old lady."
The Queen Mother also felt sorry for him having to travel so much. The first time the Emperor came back, he would definitely bring the Imperial Concubine with him. Since her son had such thoughts in mind, even if she couldn't depose or enthrone him for the time being, she would still reveal some information to the outside world and let her ministers guess what was going on.
She breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile, "Although the imperial concubine is young, she knows the principles of serving the emperor. When she returns, she should be rewarded with something so that she can accompany His Majesty with peace of mind."
The message from the Queen was much simpler, just to reassure her not to panic.
When Shen Youyi opened her eyes, everything in the palace seemed completely normal.
No one came to ask her why His Majesty appeared in Yaoguang Palace late at night.
Emperor Yuan Shuo rode in the same carriage with her. The emperor's status was far superior to that of a concubine. The emperor was bent over his desk reviewing memorials, occasionally looking up to chat with her. Occasionally, guards came in and out, and she ate and read beside them, and she did not feel stuffy or cramped at all.
The accompanying guards knew their limits; no one gave her a second glance. Shen Youyi sat quietly beside the emperor. Some things had already gone beyond her imagination, and she felt awkward just sitting there. While pouring tea for Emperor Yuan Shuo, she took the opportunity to plead, "Can you please let me go somewhere else? This is something I can listen to."
The harem was not allowed to interfere in government affairs, and this rule was almost tacitly ignored by her. Emperor Yuan Shuo looked at her with a smile, shook her fingers, and said gently: "I know Yi Niang might be a little bored. You just listen to these things. Since you know the pros and cons, you won't talk about them casually with others."
He hoped that this woman who knew nothing about him would understand everything about the king as soon as possible, and he would not allow her to escape from his control. Although this overly strong idea had not been fully discovered by her, it also made Shen Youyi a little unhappy.
She grumbled softly, "You can't just tell me nothing and ask me to look at you... Am I supposed to stay by your side forever, like a dumb wooden figure?"
Emperor Yuan Shuo thought that when she was with him, she didn't have to worry about being discovered by others. The emperor could just speak up for her, but there were too many rules around him and she would feel too constrained to bear it.
"Yiniang can go riding and hunting with me, and can also meet the wives of some foreign ministers."
Emperor Yuan Shuo remained calm and said, "You can do whatever you like, but Yi Niang doesn't want to be with me?"
There is only one answer to this question. Shen Youyi said angrily, "Can I say I don't hope?"
Emperor Yuan Shuo said nothing. In fact, he could teach his eldest son to do some unimportant things, and then he would have more time to spend with her.
But Shen Youyi didn't think so. She didn't even have her own tent and could only live in the main tent with Emperor Yuan Shuo. Not to mention what she did, he knew even her breathing clearly.
Her subtle preparations were still a bit too radical for him. She actually asked him to run back and forth. She leaned in Emperor Yuan Shuo's arms and said softly, "Your Highness, if you know that you took risks for me, will you have any opinion of me?"
Good fortune and misfortune go hand in hand. It's not a bad thing that Emperor Yuan Shuo keeps such a close eye on her. She doesn't want to have anything to do with the eldest son anymore. She asked curiously, "Your Majesty and I don't have any children. I wonder what the eldest son born to Madam Yang will look like. Will he have the same charm as you did when you were young?"
Emperor Yuan Shuo frowned slightly when he heard this. Coming from the mouth of an innocent young lady, such words certainly had no other meaning.
The ministers also often compliment the eldest son on his father's behavior, but she is, after all, a young beauty.
She was about the same age as the eldest son, and she was close to him at the time, but that was only because he was the only man she had ever seen, so she could only cling to the emperor and was easily deceived.
If I were to get along with a man of the same age again, I might have some other thoughts.
"He's more like his mother."
Emperor Yuan Shuo stroked her hair, smiled faintly, and his eyes fell on her abdomen: "Yi Niang is not infertile, why should you pin your love for a son on others?"
He was right here, and there was no room for her to look for his shadow in the younger crown prince. Shen Youyi responded, and like algae in the water, she clung to him softly. Her skin was as plump as snow, and even Emperor Yuan Shuo, who was used to it, would be dazed for a moment, his heart moved.
"Then how about I give birth to a child for you now?"
Her suggestion was so sincere that one would think she had no bad intentions: "It would save you from bothering me all the time. I can't sleep well in the mornings."
Emperor Yuan Shuo laughed. She was so annoying, yet she had the nerve to blame him for his lack of concentration. He kissed her cheek and said with a smile, "What do you think Yi Niang will do?"
Shen Youyi was not in a position to show excessive passion, as she was still young and inexperienced. She hesitantly tugged at Emperor Yuan Shuo's belt, imitating what she did last night, teasing him not very skillfully, and then suddenly stopped.
She carefully observed Emperor Yuan Shuo's reaction and bit the corner of his lip: "You see, I know."
Emperor Yuan Shuo looked at her helplessly, as if indulging a cat rubbing against him randomly. He held the back of her head and was about to teach the beauty in his arms how to kiss her lips, but a voice from outside sounded at a very inopportune time.
The Imperial Concubine was ill, and Chen Rongshou, guessing the Emperor's intentions, would not do anything out of line with her, even in private. However, he still deliberately blocked the Prince's horse and said, "Your Majesty, the Prince has left the camp to receive you, and is now waiting outside to request an audience. Would Your Majesty wish to summon him?"
Emperor Yuan Shuo motioned her to stay away and was about to give him a few instructions when his Adam's apple, which was moving up and down slightly, was sucked by someone.
He groaned, and although he subconsciously lowered his voice, Chen Rongshou subconsciously glanced in the direction of the eldest son.
Coincidentally, the eldest son suddenly raised his head and met the gaze of the eunuch chief.
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