Ling Shumo said, "I just saw a pair of scissors on your dressing box. Please wait here for a moment. I will go get the scissors now."
Pei Jiuyan shook his head, and a smile appeared on his cherry-red lips. "No need. Even without scissors, I can cut this thread." After he said that, he held the cotton thread in his mouth and bit it lightly with his white teeth, and the cotton thread broke in the middle.
Then, Pei Jiuyan picked up the needle and thread and began to sew the small hole on the clothes very seriously, looking like a virtuous and housekeeping girl.
At first, Ling Shumo's eyes were still focused on him mending his clothes, but gradually they moved up and she saw his fair and smooth skin under his slightly loose collar.
Ling Shumo felt her heart was burning, but Pei Jiuyan's needle threading speed was extremely slow. It was obviously just a very small hole, and he sewed for a long time but still couldn't sew it up.
Not only that, Pei Jiuyan accidentally increased the size of his movements, widening the already small cut. He raised his bright eyes to look at Ling Shumo, smiled apologetically, and exhaled sweetly, "It's all your fault for living in luxury for so long. The servants usually do this needlework, and I'm not very good at it. Your Majesty, please wait a moment. I'll speed up and finish it in no time."
Because the hole that needed mending had grown larger, the short length of thread in Pei Jiuyan's hand was clearly not enough. He pulled out another piece of cotton thread and put it in his mouth. Just as he bit it off, Ling Shumo could no longer bear it and grabbed his wrist.
Pei Jiuyan clenched the embroidery needle in his hand and looked at Ling Shumo with a very angry look, "Your Majesty, please don't do this for now. At least let me put this embroidery needle back into the box. If it falls on the bed and is lost, it will prick someone and it will be very bad."
Ling Shumo snatched the embroidery needle from Pei Jiuyan's hand and threw it casually into the box. Then, she slammed the lid of the box shut and grabbed Pei Jiuyan's wrist again. She smiled and said, "The embroidery needle has been dealt with now. You don't have any other excuse to refuse me, right?"
The half of cotton thread that was used to sew clothes was still in Pei Jiuyan's mouth. He wanted to take the cotton thread out of his mouth, but Ling Shumo held both of his wrists tightly and he couldn't move at all.
Ling Shumo just stared at him, really wanting to know what he would do next.
Pei Jiuyan was stunned for only a brief moment, then he smiled and chewed the cotton thread into pieces, then spat the saliva-stained cotton thread towards Ling Shumo.
The ball of cotton thread fell on Ling Shumo's trouser leg. Even through the thick fabric of the clothes, Ling Shumo seemed to feel the warmth brought by the ball of cotton thread.
At this moment, the beauty's smile is more beautiful than a flower, her glance is subtle and graceful, and the atmosphere in the house is warm and intoxicating.
Just as the two were about to spark a passionate scene, a servant's voice suddenly came from outside, "Your Majesty, the Queen and the Master request an audience."
Ling Shumo released her grip on Pei Jiuyan's wrist. Although she felt a little irritated, she didn't scold the attendant. She knew Lu Jinshu wasn't someone so ignorant of the bigger picture. If he came in so hastily to find her, something must have happened.
Ling Shumo was about to ask when Lu Jinshu rushed in panicked, his eyes filled with anxiety. "Your Majesty, after dinner, Xihe sneaked out to play without telling the palace maids. When I found out, I immediately sent people to look for her, but we haven't found her yet." His eyes welled up as he spoke. "It's been nearly an hour and a half since Xihe disappeared. I'm really worried that something might have happened to her."
The remaining lust in Ling Shumo disappeared completely after hearing Lu Jinshu's words. She immediately stood up from the bed and asked, "Have all the palaces and gardens in the harem been searched?"
Lu Jinshu raised his hand to wipe away the tears from the corners of his eyes. "Even the palace, which has been vacant for many years, has been thoroughly searched. I have almost turned the entire harem upside down, but there is no trace of Xihe." He is usually a calm and self-controlled person, but now that his daughter is in trouble, he has become visibly panicked. "If anything happens to Xihe, I will not be able to live..."
Ling Shumo stepped forward, took his hand, and patted it twice to show her comfort. Then she strode towards the door. "Shi Qi, go notify the commander of the Imperial Guard now and tell her to bring all her men into the palace. She must find Ling Xihe for me within one stick of incense. I want him alive or dead."
No one from outside the harem is allowed to enter. However, His Majesty has opened the hanging flower gate for the sake of Her Royal Highness the Crown Princess and allowed the Imperial Guards to enter the harem to search. This is enough to show how much Ling Shumo values Lu Jinshu and Her Royal Highness the Crown Princess.
When Lu Jinshu heard that even the Imperial Guards had been dispatched, his panic eased slightly, but tears still welled up in his eyes. "Xihe, where are you? Please come out quickly. Don't try to scare father with this hide-and-seek trick. It scares the queen. I'm really worried about you."
Ling Shumo turned her head to look at Lu Jinshu. Ever since Lu Jinshu took the throne, she had rarely seen him show weakness, let alone tears. Seeing him so vulnerable and sad, Ling Shumo couldn't help but feel bad. She consoled him, "The commander of the Imperial Guard is a very capable person. If she does her utmost to find Xihe, she'll definitely be able to bring her back."
Ling Shumo gently wiped away the tears from the corners of Lu Jinshu's eyes with a handkerchief. She seemed to be comforting Lu Jinshu, but also seemed to be talking to herself, "Don't worry, everything will be fine."
While the two were talking, Pei Jiuyan stood quietly behind them. His face was filled with worry over the disappearance of the princess, but if you looked closely, you could see the veins bulging in his arms, clearly indicating his extreme anger.
His Majesty should have taken him long ago, but he had used needlework to prolong the foreplay to make the atmosphere more ambiguous. He was just a little bit away, clearly on the verge of making love with His Majesty, but Lu Jinshu had chosen this very moment to barge in and ruin his plans. How could he not be furious? His lungs were practically bursting with rage.
Pei Jiuyan walked slowly to Lu Jinshu's side, blinking her beautiful eyes gently. She covered her lips with her hand, looking very surprised. "This is in the harem, not outside. How could Her Royal Highness, a living person, suddenly disappear? This is really too strange. However, Her Royal Highness is a lucky person. I believe that she will be found safely by the Imperial Guards. My Lord and Queen, please don't be too sad and hurt yourself."
Pei Jiuyan's words were full of concern, but Lu Jinshu knew very well that he was just speaking in a sarcastic manner and he hoped that Ling Xi and Haoxiang had been killed.
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