Chapter 12 Ji Huan, Inside and Out
Wen Miao paused for a moment as her fingertips rested against the outside of the teacup.
She didn't move her hands, but instead raised her eyes and once again focused her gaze on the emperor.
Emperor Qianyuan was aware that the woman beside him was looking at him. He habitually straightened his back, his shoulders were broad, and his face was handsome and rugged. Because of his many years as an emperor, he had gained a more dignified and scholarly air, making it hard to imagine that he had once fought on the battlefield in his youth.
The lady's gaze was light and fleeting, seemingly without force, yet to Emperor Qian Yuan, it weighed as heavily as a thousand pieces of gold.
He was only stared at for a moment, but his breathing quickened slightly, his gaze deepened, and a dark color seemed to appear in the depths of his pupils, like a ferocious beast poised to pounce.
Only now did Wen Miao move.
She picked up the teacup and gently handed it to him, as if in some kind of test, without pressing it completely against the emperor's lips. But he seemed completely unaware, simply leaning down naturally and taking a sip of the warm tea.
Then, Wen Miao put down her teacup, relaxed her body, leaned sideways against the edge of the fishing boat, and casually splashed water with her hand.
The emperor remained silent, his gaze fixed on Wen Miao with unwavering intensity, as if he could stare at her like that for a lifetime.
What does Your Majesty desire?
Wen Miao spoke, her fingertip touching the rippling water below.
Before the emperor could speak, Wen Miao softened her voice and answered her own question:
"Do you want to bring me into the palace, to make me a concubine or mistress, to spend my whole life waiting for the Emperor's favor and affection within those palace walls; or do you want to keep me outside the palace, like an ordinary master or young master, keeping a mistress for his amusement and pleasure..."
"lady!"
Wen Miao's words were interrupted by the emperor.
The fishing boat, which was slowly moving on the lake, suddenly stopped. As if he had just been on a carriage, Emperor Qianyuan raised his arm and lifted the woman who was lying face down on the side of the boat into his arms.
He said, "I will not, nor will I be willing to."
As the boat moved back and forth, it rocked on the lake, and the ripples spread, vaguely reflecting the figures on the boat, their clothes and skirts intertwined.
The emperor's hand embraced Wen Miao, his tall and imposing figure engulfing her. In this face-to-face position, Wen Miao was almost straddling his waist and abdomen. If the old scholars in the court were to see this, they would surely shout that it was indecent.
Wen Miao lay on Emperor Qian Yuan's body, her soft nape gently held by his large hand, with a force that seemed to want to control her yet was also somewhat cautious.
But Wen Miao neither dodged nor avoided, only staring straight into her gentle, spring-water-like eyes, which, though trembling, remained firm and calm.
She asked again, "So what does Your Majesty desire?"
Emperor Qianyuan's other hand was still on Wen Miao's waist. The fishing boat swayed, the lake was filled with mist, and a gentle breeze caressed her face. His palm was hot and rough, and it rested on Wen Miao's body as if he had grasped her soul.
He spoke, his voice low and hoarse, carrying a stubbornness that Wen Miao couldn't comprehend, each word deliberate and deliberate—
"I wish that my lady would be as high as the bright moon, enjoying the highest honors and the most luxurious life."
"I only ask that the lady take care of herself alone."
Wen Miao's hand, which was supporting the emperor's chest, trembled slightly, and her eyes reddened. She asked knowingly, "Whose picture is it?"
"Ji Huan".
The surname of the Great Chu Emperor is Ji, while the current Emperor Qian Yuan is named Ji Huan. Since he ascended the throne, his supreme status as the emperor has kept him on the dragon throne for a long time, so this name has become a taboo that no one dares to use.
The burning hot hands were still around Wen Miao's waist and the back of her neck. Her spine trembled, and her long eyelashes trembled back and forth, making her look pitiful and cute.
Emperor Qian Yuan pressed his palm down slightly, his high nose brushing against the stray hairs at the temples of the woman in his arms, but he dared not get any closer. "I only ask that you, my lady, have mercy on me and look after Ji Huan alone."
Under the bright blue sky, the fishing boats swayed gently on the lake. Wen Miao turned her head away, pursed her lips and remained silent. Her slender fingers gripped the front of the emperor's robe, grasping a crease. The force on the back of her neck and waist was tight, as if to show that Emperor Qian Yuan had no intention of giving up.
Faced with Wen Miao's veiled rejection, Emperor Qian Yuan simply smiled and said unhurriedly, "I await your answer, my lady."
"only……"
The emperor paused, slowly released his arm, and brushed his nose against Wen Miao's ear. "My lady, don't keep me waiting too long."
He was unwilling to reveal his darker side to his wife.
...
The fishing boat continued to move into the lake. Wen Miao, her cheeks still flushed, sat somewhat awkwardly on the other side, enjoying the warm, slightly damp breeze. The emperor continued to row, as if he had not had any physical contact with the person he admired before.
The small lake in the village is very beautiful. In the north, it is not yet the season for lotus flowers to bloom, so there are only large patches of green lotus leaves intertwined and clustered together, a verdant expanse. Occasionally, a dragonfly flies by, making a soft flapping sound.
Since that conversation, Emperor Qian Yuan has maintained a gentlemanly demeanor. His attitude towards Wen Miao is one of gentle strength, but occasionally, upon closer examination, Wen Miao can even detect a hint of... inferiority.
How could the mighty Emperor of Chu feel inferior in the face of a widow like her?
Wen Miao didn't understand, but she didn't investigate further. She didn't think she had the ability to resist the emperor, nor did she think the Xie family could withstand the oppression from the royal power. Therefore, for her, it was just a matter of letting things take their course.
In fact, if she initially had some intention to avoid the relationship, now, for her own sake and for the Xie family's sake, Wen Miao hopes to slow down and take control of it.
After the boat trip, Wen Miao helped the emperor ashore. It was already sunset, and she suggested returning to the Xie residence. However, Emperor Qian Yuan said, "Madam, why don't you stay at the estate for the night?"
It is peaceful yet also exudes a certain strength.
Wen Miao sometimes felt that Emperor Qian Yuan was too contradictory. She didn't refuse, but only asked, "What about my maternal grandparents..."
The Emperor said, "I have already sent people to make arrangements."
Wen Miao's lips curled slightly. "Your Majesty has already made all the arrangements, why are you asking me?"
Faced with the slight displeasure in Wen Miao's tone, Emperor Qian Yuan simply smiled good-naturedly, seemingly without the slightest air of an emperor, just like an ordinary husband...
Wen Miao quickly suppressed the thoughts in her mind. Her expression paused slightly, and she simply followed the emperor into the manor.
The chief eunuch Xu Sheng, who had entered earlier, had already arranged everything perfectly, timing it all precisely. After dusk, lanterns were set up and candles were lit in the manor, and the main seats in the hall were arranged with one on the left and one on the right, as if the emperor and empress were on the same stage.
Wen Miao stared blankly at the table and seating arrangement.
The entire hall was decorated with wood. After crossing the threshold, servants knelt on the ground and offered wooden clogs to help the distinguished guest change his shoes.
But the emperor dismissed the servants who were attending him, and under the shocked gazes of Xu Sheng and Zhang Ji who were guarding the door, he naturally put on the wooden clogs himself. Then, not caring about the gazes of others, he squatted down and took another pair of brand-new wooden clogs, which were obviously prepared for women, in his hands, and tested the temperature of the wood with the back of his fingers.
Wen Miao was surprised and puzzled.
Upon seeing this, Xu Sheng quickly said, "Your Majesty, rest assured, these wooden clogs were warmed with a hot towel before being brought here, so they won't be cold to your feet."
Emperor Qianyuan said, "Well done," raised his hand to Wen Miao's skirt, and looked up to say, "Madam, you may hold my shoulder."
Wen Miao opened her lips, her voice so soft it almost slipped out from between her lips, "I... I can do it myself."
But the emperor, who was half-squatting on the ground, did not move, only staring at Wen Miao.
Wen Miao sighed inwardly. She had indulged the Great Chu Emperor's peculiar habit of serving others... or rather, serving her. She leaned forward and placed her hand on the strong, muscular shoulder beneath the other's clothes.
The servants serving in front of the hall lowered their heads and averted their gazes, while Emperor Qian Yuan carefully lifted half of the soft skirt that was perfect for spring, allowing Wen Miao to half-raise her foot and step on his knee. She removed her silk stockings, revealing her white, frosty feet, and, following the emperor's force, put on wooden clogs, firmly setting her foot on the ground.
The wooden clogs, which had been warmed by a hot towel, still retained a pleasant warmth and were not cold. When they fell under the hem of the skirt, a glimpse of white, like soft jade flowing with cream, could be seen as the wearer moved, tinged with a light pink, and vanished in an instant.
After personally changing Wen Miao's wooden clogs, Emperor Qian Yuan's lips curled into a very subtle smile before he ordered, "Prepare the meal."
The servants who were serving in the manor filed out, carrying all kinds of snacks, meals, tea and wine. Wen Miao and the emperor sat in the main seats, one on the left and one on the right, without any distinction of rank.
The table was laden with a dazzling array of food of various kinds. Upon closer inspection, Wen Miao discovered that they were all things she liked. She glanced at Emperor Qian Yuan, who simply picked up a wine pot and poured her a small cup of warm wine.
The Emperor said, “This is a specially prepared fruit wine that is not intoxicating, so you can rest assured, my lady.”
He clearly still remembered what happened at the palace banquet that day. As soon as he mentioned it, the thin-skinned Wen Miao blushed, and could only hide her unease by taking a sip from her cup.
Throughout the entire dinner, they had no servants by their side; everything was done personally by Emperor Qian Yuan. He seemed to find it amusing, and thus didn't even ask Wen Miao to lift a finger.
The way the staff poured the wine, cut the meat, and peeled the skin was so meticulous and careful that Wen Miao had the illusion that she couldn't do anything.
It's a sense of control.
From their first meeting to their subsequent interactions, Wen Miao gradually began to glimpse another side of Emperor Qian Yuan's personality beneath the surface. Apart from the supreme majesty of an emperor, his methods of dealing with the world revealed a possessiveness and ruthlessness deeply ingrained in his bones.
That sinister aura was like an underwater rock, not noticeable in everyday life, but if the wind blows, you can see its jaggedness beneath.
Because of her status, because of this hidden darkness, and because of Emperor Qian Yuan's words that "he did not want to be a bad person," Wen Miao never openly resisted.
Politeness, restraint, and caution were the superficial qualities that Emperor Qian Yuan conveyed to Wen Miao. However, whenever Wen Miao showed the slightest intention to refuse, the repression hidden deep within the other party would arise spontaneously, as if it wanted to transform into a giant python, inch by inch, to tightly coil around Wen Miao and drag her into the depths of that sunless cave.
It was a dark, damp, and chilly atmosphere that was hard to detect, quite different from the image of Emperor Qian Yuan, yet it gave Wen Miao a sense of being invaded in every way.
After dinner, Emperor Qian Yuan did not keep Wen Miao any longer. He knew what moderation meant, so he simply asked the maids on the estate to take Wen Miao to rest, while he himself changed into a black outfit, picked up a weapon, and went to the courtyard to practice.
Perhaps it was because he had been spending too much time with his wife that his blood, which had been cold for more than a decade, began to stir restlessly.
I just wonder when you will become his wife...
A note from the author:
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Chapter Twelve, The Emperor Finally Has a Name
Wen Miao: Who is Ji Huan? (Confused)
Emperor: It's me! My lady, Ji Huan is me! (Heartbreaking)
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