Chapter 61 Refusal: She said no.
"come over."
That voice was like a clear spring hitting Emperor Qian Yuan's ears and heart. He remained expressionless, but his mind was in turmoil. He even forgot how to think for a moment, staring intently at Wen Miao's beautiful hand.
Soon, the Emperor of Great Chu, who had been completely bewitched by the Empress, obediently walked over like a well-trained dog.
The Taiji Palace was quiet at the moment. Outside the screen, a gilded incense burner was emitting a slow and clear fragrance of sandalwood, which permeated the room.
Emperor Qianyuan was very tall—no, or rather, he was originally very thin and bony because he was often hungry when he was in the cold palace, but later he grew wildly and became more than eight feet tall. He developed a body full of scars and muscles on the battlefield. Now, wearing a dragon robe and a crown, he no longer has any elegance, but only a ferocious and evil aura.
It's the kind that can stop a child from crying at night.
But Wen Miao was not afraid.
Seeing Emperor Qian Yuan approach silently, standing before her like a statue, she knew that she couldn't count on him for today's conversation.
He used to be quiet and reserved when he saw her, taking advantage of her amnesia and pretending to be obedient to force her into marriage. He would sometimes be gentle and sometimes slowly and patiently, occasionally even using coercion and enticement. But now that it's time for him to speak, he's pretending to be mute.
Wen Miao didn't feel annoyed at all. She rested her chin on her hand, her face expressionless, and calmly looked at Emperor Qian Yuan.
That gaze was very focused, carrying a gentle calmness unique to Wen Miao, but it was precisely this gaze that made Emperor Qian Yuan feel somewhat uncomfortable and awkwardly turn his head away.
...He was completely at a disadvantage in front of the queen who had regained her memories, like a wild beast with its claws pulled out. Even when he did something similar to imprisonment, it seemed excessively harmless.
Of course, this may only be Wen Miao's understanding.
She sat up slightly, and the emperor, who was standing beside the chaise longue, seemed to jolt slightly and quietly stood up straighter.
Emperor Qian Yuan's skin color was not light; to be precise, it was a healthy wheat color, the result of weathering and sun exposure. Combined with his deep-set features and explosive physique, his aggressiveness was off the charts. This was the most direct reason why Wen Miao often found it difficult to push him away in bed.
Wen Miao spoke up: "...Take off the crown."
This affected her ability to observe the changes in Emperor Qianyuan's expression at that moment.
"..."
Emperor Qian Yuan did not speak, his lips were tightly pursed, but his body was very obedient. He stiffly but slowly removed the crown and carefully placed it on the table to the side.
He remained completely silent throughout the entire process, demonstrating that he was making a concerted effort to maintain his composure.
With the removal of the black and vermilion beaded curtain at the front of the crown, Wen Miao finally saw Emperor Qian Yuan's face clearly—
Beneath those deep, cold, and gloomy eyes, there was a faint bluish tinge, clearly caused by a lack of rest the previous night.
Wen Miao paused for a moment, then asked, "Didn't you sleep last night?"
The emperor, who stood frozen in place, paused for a moment, as if he had forgotten that he could speak. After a brief silence, he simply nodded.
It's completely like a gourd with a sawed mouth.
Wen Miao removed the robe belonging to Emperor Qian Yuan from her shoulder and looked down at her own attire, then asked a question that the emperor had not expected—
"Do you have any official business to attend to later?"
Emperor Qianyuan shook his head subconsciously.
Actually, there are still some.
After each morning court session, the Wenyuan Hall would collect and organize the memorials submitted by the officials, sometimes more than two hundred, sometimes as few as a dozen or several dozen.
After all, the emperor is the master of the land. All problems that his subjects cannot solve in the entire Chu state, from east to west and north to south, must be decided by the emperor. Even the achievements made in various places must be reviewed by the emperor. This burden belonging to the emperor—especially for a wise ruler—is extremely heavy.
But Emperor Qian Yuan knew he wasn't in the right state of mind today. His mind was completely focused on Wen Miao's recovery of her memories, and he couldn't concentrate on dealing with the memorials. So he simply told a little lie, preparing himself for any questioning or disapproval.
However, it was obvious that everything happening before their eyes was contrary to what Emperor Qian Yuan had in mind.
Almost the instant he nodded, the Empress, sitting on the chaise longue with a languid air about her, stretched out her arms and said in a gentle yet indifferent, commanding tone, "Pick me up."
The emperor, who stood like a statue, was unable to react.
He even felt that he might be dreaming—dreaming of something that was unlikely to happen in reality.
He took advantage of her vulnerability, deceiving her when she was injured and lost her memory. He even hid the pure white gauze dress that the goddess had given to her beloved, severing her connection with the Peach Blossom Paradise... He made many mistakes that he would still make even if it happened a second time, a point that Emperor Qian Yuan could not deny.
"Ji Huan, I'm saying—"
In a daze, Emperor Qian Yuan heard his own name.
Wen Miao repeated, "Pick me up."
The emperor, who had been standing still, became a puppet controlled by his master. He stepped forward and raised his hand, revealing a sense of unease and unfamiliarity, but he still carefully supported Wen Miao's waist and knees, and steadily lifted her up.
All of this was thanks to Emperor Qianyuan's robust physique.
Wen Miao wasn't considered thin among people of the same gender. She was born with a small frame and a full, fair body, thick and lustrous. Especially at such a bright age, she was well-developed and soft to hold, but definitely not flimsy.
Every time Emperor Qian Yuan picked her up, she felt both her innate shyness and a pure sense of security.
At this moment, facing the emperor who seemed to have lost the ability to speak, Wen Miao raised her finger and pointed to the dragon bed in the Taiji Palace, "Put me on the bed."
This time, after a moment of silence, Emperor Qianyuan finally said "Good".
He didn't even know what the Empress wanted to do at the moment; his mind was blank, and he instinctively carried out the orders from Wen Miao.
Even if the empress wanted him dead.
The bedding on the dragon bed was still spread out. After Wen Miaochen got up, she simply pulled it aside and was placed on the bed. She naturally took off the outer narrow-sleeved dress, leaving only the inner white undergarment.
Without Wen Miao's command, Emperor Qian Yuan stood there, watching the Empress's every move on the bed, until she pulled up the covers and lay back down. Only then did he vaguely hear Wen Miao ask:
"Ji Huan, is there anything you want to say to me now?"
What should he say?
It is said that he has been obsessed with and morbidly gazing at and admiring the goddess in his dreams for more than ten years.
He was clearly a jealous husband, but he pretended to be virtuous and generous, allowing those men to get close to his wife.
Or was it that he harbored such deep and intense jealousy and hatred towards Cui Xu, who was fortunate enough to receive the favor of the goddess?
Or perhaps it means he is cunning and ruthless, using tricks to deceive the goddess and keep her firmly by his side.
Emperor Qian Yuan felt he couldn't say either of them; if he did... if he really did say them...
Miaomiao will probably find him scary and disgusting. She probably won't even want to look at him or slap him.
He opened his mouth in a hoarse voice: "I...I..."
The throbbing pain pounded in Emperor Qian Yuan's heart. The once decisive and efficient emperor, who could once single-handedly suppress the powerful clans and govern the entire Great Chu to its current state of peace and prosperity, became timid and hesitant, staring at the foot of the bed, unable to utter a complete sentence.
Wen Miao was quite patient. "It seems you have nothing to say to me?"
Emperor Qianyuan pursed his lips, his face extremely grim. If the court officials were here, they would probably be kneeling on the ground, not daring to even raise their heads.
Wen Miao's lips curved into a very subtle smile.
She felt that the seemingly mature and composed Emperor Qian Yuan was sometimes like a child who, once he got a toy, would hold onto it tightly and wouldn't let go, and was insecure, anxious, morbid, and lacking a sense of security.
Wen Miao suddenly remembered a stray dog she had rescued from outside when she lived with her grandparents.
The dog's hind leg had been hit by a car outside the street, and its fur was splattered with paint. It was dirty and pitiful. When Wen Miao met the dog, it was practically lying next to a trash can waiting to die.
But the homeless stray dog met a kind-hearted god who descended to earth for it.
Even as it bared its teeth and threatened, Wen Miao, who was only about ten years old at the time, carefully squatted not far away, spread out her coat with both hands, and calmly and quietly looked back at the stray dog with its wary eyes.
They remained locked in a stalemate for a full ten minutes, long enough for a passerby to advise Wen Miao to ignore the snarling, baring-toothed stray dog.
The pretty little girl with rosy lips and white teeth just smiled, thanked the passerby for their concern, continued to squat there, quietly looking at the stray dog, and asked, "Do you want to go home with me?"
Finally, the stalemate came to an end just before sunset—the fierce stray dog, its hind legs weak, shuffled little by little toward the warm-smelling humans, who gently wrapped it in their clean clothes and held it in their arms.
From then on, Wen Miao gradually smoothed out all its defenses, turning it into a pet dog with a small metal tag around its neck, able to wag its tail and follow behind its young master, always ready to act cute.
Now, Wen Miao felt that Emperor Qian Yuan's expression was exactly the same as when that stray dog first met her.
A sense of vigilance and fear, yet also a faint glimmer of hope.
There's no use in getting anxious at this point.
It seems... we'll have to put the open and honest conversation on hold for now.
But that's okay, she has plenty of patience.
Wen Miao burrowed deeper into the covers and said slowly, "Take off your outer clothes and come to bed."
Before Emperor Qian Yuan could even feel a flicker of surprise, Wen Miao had already pulled the covers up, lay down on her side on the couch, and slowly closed her eyes, saying, "...Come up and sleep with me for a while."
Should I... accompany the Empress to sleep for a while?
From the moment Emperor Qianyuan entered the Taiji Palace, all his rhythm and actions were completely controlled by Wen Miao, leaving him powerless to resist. By the time he realized what was happening, he had already obediently taken off his outer garment, let down his long, upright hair, and quietly lifted the quilt to lie down half an arm's length behind the Empress.
Emperor Qianyuan's body was stiff, and he dared not move an inch, as if the person who used to like to hold Wen Miao in his arms and kiss her was no longer him.
Wen Miao didn't indulge her, especially in this situation, she didn't want to wrong herself, she just closed her eyes and said: "Hold me, just like before, or go downstairs and stay by yourself."
A moment later, she heard a hoarse, strained voice from behind her—
"……good."
A rustling sound came, and soon a strong and powerful arm came close, warm and inviting. The arm wrapped around Wen Miao's waist, pulling her slightly backward, while the palm naturally moved down and gently covered Wen Miao's soft lower abdomen.
The familiar embrace and warmth relaxed Wen Miao. She let out a soft breath, then truly shut her mouth and began to drift off to sleep.
The emperor's bedchamber fell silent for a moment, with only two overlapping breaths faintly audible through the bright yellow bed curtains. One breath was light and shallow, the other deep and heavy, their similar frequencies creating a strange sense of harmony.
At first, Emperor Qian Yuan could keep his eyes open and quietly gaze at Wen Miao's naturally falling hair, his mind a complete mess.
But soon, the calm breathing and gentle fragrance dispelled the anxiety in his heart, and the drowsiness from not sleeping the previous night gradually rose up, pressing his eyelids down little by little.
The arms that were wrapped around Wen Miao's waist relaxed slightly as her master fell asleep.
At the same time, the Empress, who had her back to the Emperor, slowly opened her eyes. There was no trace of drowsiness in her eyes, only a layer of soft, clear-headedness.
She glanced at the dark circles under Emperor Qianyuan's eyes out of the corner of her eye, and saw that even in his sleep, his brows were still tightly furrowed. She sighed softly without making a sound, and naturally snuggled closer to the emperor, almost to the point of being completely sealed off.
Emperor Qian Yuan, who had been frowning, seemed to be soothed, and the shadow between his brows was gradually smoothed out by the gentle aura and warmth.
Wen Miao closed her eyes again and began to rest.
...
Outside Taiji Palace—
Xu Sheng paced back and forth in the hall, sighing as he walked. One second his face showed deep thought and frown, and the next it showed anxiety and restlessness.
Seeing the trouble, Zhang Ji, the commander of the Imperial Guards, couldn't help but speak up: "What are you doing pacing back and forth like that..."
"Hush! Hush!"
Xu Sheng's eyes widened, he raised his hand to his mouth, then cautiously glanced at the silent Taiji Palace before lowering his voice and saying, "Why are you so loud? Be careful not to disturb His Majesty and the Empress!"
Zhang Ji remained expressionless. "They're so far away, His Majesty and the Empress can't hear us."
After a pause, Zhang Ji asked again, "So what exactly are you sighing about?"
Xu Sheng rolled his eyes. How could such a roughneck understand the subtle thoughts in his mind?
However, Xu Sheng still spoke up to explain: "His Majesty and the Empress have a conflict!"
Zhang Ji: "I can see that."
"Aren't you worried?" Xu Sheng raised his voice slightly.
This time, Zhang Ji gave him a strange look and asked, "What are you worried about?"
"The conflict between His Majesty and the Empress!"
Upon hearing this, Xu Sheng immediately frowned and couldn't help but whisper to Zhang Ji—
“You must remember what His Majesty was like before, right? Look at how His Majesty is now! If you ask me, it’s all thanks to the Empress… When the Empress was around, His Majesty was always kind and gentle. Since last winter, he has stopped working day and night reviewing memorials and has even smiled more.”
"But...but what about now? His Majesty's face has been terribly pale since last night, and he's even locked the Empress in the Taiji Palace. My heart is pounding so hard, I'm terrified that His Majesty will fly into a rage and...and..."
Zhang Ji thought for a moment, then slowly said, "I don't think there's anything wrong with it."
Although he was the commander of the Imperial Guard, Zhang Ji was not exactly a cultured man. He had followed Emperor Qianyuan on a northern expedition against the barbarians and had seen the emperor in his youth wielding his sword to kill enemies on the battlefield, displaying a reckless and mad spirit.
When Emperor Qianyuan was still a prince, he won a great victory in the northern expedition. With the prestige of being made crown prince by the late emperor, he returned to the capital in glory. However, some people questioned whether those military achievements were "gifted" to His Majesty by his subordinates.
But Zhang Ji himself knew perfectly well that everything was His Majesty's due, and that he had only gotten to where he was today through his ruthless and reckless spirit.
Although Zhang Ji was by the emperor's side at that time, he always felt uneasy. Emperor Qian Yuan was too crazy, too ruthless, and too reckless, as if... there was nothing in this world that His Majesty would care about.
But ever since the Empress appeared, His Majesty has changed.
Zhang Ji was a rough and unrefined man; he couldn't describe the feeling, but he genuinely believed that Xu Sheng's worries were unnecessary.
To be frank, His Majesty's behavior when he sees the Empress is like that ferocious dog in his village seeing the village chief's daughter. It looks fierce and menacing, but in reality, as soon as it gets close to the girl, its tail wags up and it becomes incredibly obedient!
Even if he puts a girl's wrist in his mouth, he'll at most lick it; he'd never actually bite it.
If you ask him, Xu Sheng should not be worried about what His Majesty does to the Empress, but whether the Empress will calm down tonight!
Zhang Ji had a lot on his mind, but he was tongue-tied and couldn't explain himself. Seeing Xu Sheng staring at him with eager eyes, he remained silent for a moment before uttering only a few dry words—
"I just don't think so."
Xu Sheng: "..."
Xu Sheng was furious. He never wanted to talk to this ignorant, uncultured man again!
Outside the Taiji Palace, some people were worried while others were relaxed, but inside the Taiji Palace, Wen Miao and Emperor Qian Yuan slept until lunchtime.
The atmosphere between the two remained somewhat strange and tense. Even the palace servants who came in to set out the meal kept their heads down and dared not utter a sound.
If you were to say that the Empress was angry, she didn't seem angry at all! The Empress was clearly the same as before, with a beautiful appearance, a gentle expression, and a pure friendliness towards everyone.
But if we say that the Empress is not angry, then today the Empress seems indifferent to His Majesty, and His Majesty does not say a word. Although he serves the Empress food as before, but why is it so strange?
The palace servants serving inside Taiji Palace did not dare to look too long. They hurriedly finished their afternoon meal and left, and soon the hall became quiet again.
Emperor Qianyuan served the dishes without saying a word, picking out all of Wen Miao's favorites.
Wen Miao sat there quietly, her chin slightly propped up, her gaze seemingly lingering on the emperor's profile.
She began, "Still nothing you want to tell me?"
Emperor Qianyuan paused for a moment while holding his chopsticks.
Wen Miao took the porcelain bowl from the other person, slowly picked up a piece of food and fed it to herself. Only after swallowing did she speak gently, "Ji Huan, I am a very patient person, but that doesn't mean I will give you a chance every time."
Sometimes, people need to be pushed a little.
Disobedient, bad dogs are the same.
The above is based on Wen Miao's previous experience in raising dogs.
Wen Miao continued, "Let's eat first. I'll give you a meal to think it over, is that enough?"
Emperor Qian Yuan opened his lips and said in a hoarse voice, "...Enough."
The atmosphere at the meal was very quiet. In the past, Emperor Qian Yuan would seem to have a kind of obsessive thirst for skin, always holding Wen Miao and feeding her bite by bite.
Today, however, he sat silently in his seat, eating mechanically like a puppet.
Wen Miao remained as usual, feeling that she was about 70% full. There was still a little bit of rice left in her delicate porcelain bowl. She put down her jade chopsticks, and the next second, the emperor sitting next to her habitually reached out a hand, as if he wanted to take away the leftover rice in front of her.
Just like every day before, Emperor Qianyuan didn't act like an emperor at all. He was even happy to cook leftovers for his wife, finding it a comforting form of intimacy and possession.
But today...
*Smack*
The Taiji Palace was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Wen Miao raised her hand and slapped the back of Emperor Qian Yuan's hand lightly, just enough to make a sound. Then, under the emperor's stunned gaze, she placed the porcelain bowl containing the leftover rice further away.
Wen Miao tilted her head, her gaze gentle yet unwavering and brooking no refusal.
She said no.
You can't take away the bowl I used.
They also couldn't finish the leftovers for me.
The natural routines of the past have been disrupted, just as the gentle moon hides behind the clouds, slowly and carefully withdrawing its light from anyone.
At that moment, the emperor of Great Chu was like a stray dog, his dark eyes filled with panic and helplessness. He wanted to reach out and grab something, but he held back and just gripped the edge of the table inch by inch.
The raised wood grain was almost etched into his flesh.
Wen Miao frowned. "Let go."
哢.
The hand loosened, but Emperor Qian Yuan still crushed half of the wooden relief, leaving a terrifying purplish-red bruise in his palm.
Wen Miao was so angry at Emperor Qian Yuan's behavior that she almost laughed.
She had only taken away his leftovers, yet Emperor Qianyuan looked so dejected. If she had said something really harsh, wouldn't he have been able to choke himself until he coughed up blood?
More than just a bad dog, it's a stubborn dog! A stupid dog!
Inside the silent Taiji Palace, Wen Miao asked, "Ji Huan, why do you look like you're about to cry?"
Emperor Qianyuan stared intently at his empress, not even daring to call out to her. His mind kept flashing back to Wen Miao's rejection and her words before the meal: "But that doesn't mean I'll give you a chance every time."
His breathing was slightly rapid and heavy, as if he were struggling with his chaotic thoughts.
Seeing this, Wen Miao stood up at the opportune moment, making a gesture as if she was deliberately about to leave.
moment--
The jade chopsticks fell to the ground with a "clatter".
The emperor, who had been stiff to the extreme, suddenly stood up, his back tense, the veins on the back of his hands bulging, and his large hands, driven by instinct, tightly held his wife, whom he could not bear to be apart from for a moment.
Wen Miao was lifted off the ground, her leg under her long silk dress held in place by Emperor Qian Yuan's thumb and forefinger, and lifted up to his waist, so that she was sandwiched between the emperor and the massive prayer screen weighing a thousand pounds behind her.
And the spot where her back rested against the giant screen's carvings was also supported by Emperor Qian Yuan's other hand.
It's warm and safe, and doesn't feel uncomfortable.
The change in movement caused Emperor Qianyuan to touch Wen Miao once more. His chest heaved erratically beneath his robes, his eyes reddened, and as he inhaled the familiar, warm fragrance, he finally managed to utter a complete sentence with a hoarse voice and great difficulty—
"cannot……"
“…Miaomiao, you can’t leave me.”
He was speaking commands, but his tone was full of pitifulness, like a dog wagging its tail and begging its master—
"Please, don't let me go."
-----------------------
Author's note: His Majesty, who is gloomy, awkward, and prone to overthinking, needs to be disciplined!
Miaomiao: No
Your Majesty: Break through the defenses—
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