Chapter 41: Desire (Xiao Xiu) [The last chapter of the love line, next chapter...
Shu Yao knew what Xiao Chengjing wanted to hear, but the words she'd tried to use were inexplicably stuck in her throat, unable to come out. She weighed her words between her teeth for a few moments before lowering her head and whispering, "The wealthy families of Jin have dominated the grain transport system for decades, and I, however, have been raised in the Jin court..." She lowered her eyes, her long eyelashes casting a shadow on her face. "Now that these earrings have been discovered, it's simply someone trying to shift the blame." Her eyes flickered slightly, then a hint of sad understanding appeared. "As long as I remain by Your Majesty's side, such incidents will continue..."
"I know."
After hearing what she said, Xiao Chengjing felt a pang of sadness in his heart.
She was so calm and composed, but she was still responding to him rather than confiding in him.
I have a vague feeling that the reluctance she blurted out on the day the canal transport project was the true feeling she had hidden for a long time.
"As long as I'm here, this matter won't harm you in the slightest." Staring at her drooping brows, he sighed silently.
"Your Majesty is wise." Shu Yao knelt and saluted with an impeccable posture. "Now that the misunderstanding has been cleared up, I dare not disturb Your Majesty's peace again." There was no warmth in her words.
Walking to her side, Xiao Chengjing leaned forward slightly.
When she spoke, there was a subtle lingering urge in her voice, like a whisper: "Yaoyao, are you leaving now? The snacks haven't been served yet."
He was so close that the meaning seemed self-evident.
Considering the constant turmoil over the past half month, I'm afraid he felt it was too much to endure, so he took the opportunity to use both kindness and force.
She inconspicuously turned her face to the side, her fingertips lightly touching his collar, and whispered, "Your Majesty, the snacks you mentioned...are they for me, your concubine, or for Your Majesty yourself?"
Hearing this, a hint of amusement flashed across Xiao Chengjing's eyes. He deliberately paused for a moment before slowly saying, "What are you thinking about, Yaoyao?" After he finished speaking, he tapped the table twice with his slender fingers, and the palace maid lowered her head and served the snacks.
This behavior seemed like he really took the promise of not forcing her to heart.
Shu Yao felt a little at a loss as to what to do.
Until one day, Cui Jinzhong brought the palace dress and headgear, and whispered a reminder: "Your Majesty, please pay attention. In two days it will be the Qianqiu Festival."
Shu Yao was slightly startled, then suddenly realized.
He has been pretending to be a gentleman who remains calm these days. Could it be that he is waiting for his birthday?
On the day of the Millennium Festival, Shu Yao finally got dressed and dressed according to the rules.
The person in the mirror, with her hair covered in pearls and emeralds and her sleeves folded wide, is so luxurious that she seems almost unfamiliar.
Suddenly I remembered the two times I escaped and was captured.
Compared to Yuwen Zhao who disappeared quietly, Xiao Chengjing had given her some leeway in his treatment.
I couldn't help feeling a little dazed.
In this situation, should she continue to fight?
There will be a polo match on the morning of Qianqiu Festival.
When Shu Yao arrived, Xiao Chengjing was standing on the sidelines talking with several princes of the royal family.
She found a seat and sat down.
Just at this moment, he looked back and saw her dressed up, a rare sight, with her Adam's apple rolling.
His body reacted before his will. He walked closer, his eyes carefully tracing her face, and said with a smile: "My Yaoyao, you are so radiant today." His eyes were so hot that they almost burned through people.
Shu Yao immediately frowned.
Xiao Chengjing just smiled, changed into a neat outfit, and walked off the court.
He jumped onto the horse's back, squeezed its belly, and the horse neighed and galloped away.
He leaned over and swung the club, hitting the ball with agility, revealing a youthful spirit that she had never seen before.
Shu Yao inexplicably felt a hint of envy.
He turned back on his horse and caught her following gaze. His fingertips unconsciously stroked the whip, and then he shouted loudly: "Everyone, cheer up! Whoever takes first place today will be rewarded handsomely!"
After the game was over, Xiao Chengjing strode back to her.
She lowered her eyes and said politely, "Your Majesty is brave."
When it was Zhao Wan's turn to perform, Shu Yao saw how heroic she was and couldn't help but take a few more glances at her and cheered for her out loud.
Unexpectedly, a light snort came from the side.
Xiao Chengjing leaned closer, his eyes dark: "Defei's ball skills are decent, are they worthy of such cheers from my beloved concubine?" His voice was low and bitter.
Shu Yao sneered inwardly: Awan won't come to force her at night.
But she only replied calmly, "Your Majesty is valiant and has been praised by all the civil and military officials in the court. I think this empty compliment from me is not a big deal."
"It's boring to just sit there all the time." Perhaps because he couldn't bear to see her looking at others, Xiao Chengjing asked, "Do you want to try it out?"
Shu Yao was startled for a moment, then shook her head: "I don't know how to play polo."
"It's okay," he said, his eyes sweeping over her complicated palace dress. "Even if you ride a horse for a few laps, it will relax you."
This made her heart beat faster.
Instead of sitting there feeling uneasy, you might as well take this opportunity to change your clothes.
After changing into riding clothes as instructed, Shu Yao was helped onto a docile mare.
Holding the reins in one hand and the pole in the other, I waved it a few times, but it still felt awkward, so I wanted to make some adjustments.
Unexpectedly, as soon as her fingertips loosened, the horse moved restlessly and Shu Yao lost her balance.
A dark figure rushed over.
Xiao Chengjing leaned over, put his arm around her, lifted her up from the saddle without a word, and held her firmly in front of him.
"What are you doing!" he shouted.
Her chest heaved violently, and the arms around her waist were pulled extra tight.
In fact, Shu Yao could handle the situation just now by herself.
At this moment, being protected by Xiao Chengjing and hearing him scolding her like this, the impatience of being controlled by others suddenly rose up.
She replied indifferently, "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I just wanted to change hands."
Xiao Chengjing could hear her hint of displeasure.
I hesitated for a moment, fearing that if I got close to her tonight, she would probably think it was forced.
He simply stopped talking, tightened his arms slightly, and rode his horse to take her away.
The spring breeze blew towards them, bringing with it a cool breeze, making their clothes rustle.
Shu Yao looked at the receding scenery, and for some reason, tilted her head to the side. Her voice was carried by the wind: "Can it go any faster?"
When Xiao Chengjing heard these words, he suddenly felt that this was the Jiang Shuyao he knew. The corners of his lips curled up slightly and he replied, "Hold on tight!" After that, he waved the whip.
The horse neighed loudly and shot into the distance like an arrow.
Because there was a palace banquet in the evening, Shu Yao had no choice but to change into that gorgeous dress again.
Wait until the two of them are alone.
Xiao Chengjing leaned back on the couch and asked with a smile. He looked her over carefully from head to toe and asked slowly, "Today is my birthday. Yaoyao... have you prepared any gifts?"
Shu Yao lowered her eyes and brushed the intricate embroidery on her sleeves. A faint smile played on her lips, and she spoke in a casual tone, "Your Majesty has dressed me so grandly, clearly intending to use me as a gift. If that's the case, why should I go to such lengths?"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Chengjing chuckled, "You are quite pragmatic."
Leaning back slightly, he reached out and took the white jade wine pot that had been prepared on the side, rubbed the lines on the neck of the pot with his fingertips, and then steadily filled a glass.
The wine was clear, with a faint amber glow, and he handed it to Shu Yao.
"I said I won't force you," he said, his eyes flickering, a faint smile playing on the corners of his lips. "Drink this cup with me, and you'll have fulfilled our obligations today."
Shu Yao did not refuse and drank the cup.
I originally thought that being drunk is better than being sober.
Who knew that the wine was so strong?
As soon as the cup goes down my throat, the burning sensation rushes up.
The scenery in front of me suddenly became blurred and my body became limp.
An arm firmly wrapped around her waist, pulling her into a warm embrace.
"Are you drunk already?" Xiao Chengjing's low voice sounded close to her ear, with a barely perceptible hint of satisfaction.
He lowered his eyes and looked at the person in his arms, his eyes were blurred and his cheeks were flushed. He was no longer as cold and reserved as before. He just leaned against him meekly, being incredibly obedient.
He raised his hand, gently caressing her slightly burning cheek with his fingertips, and whispered coaxingly, "Tell me... that day... why did you... come back again?" Was it even a little bit because of him? Even if it was just a little bit...
This question has been lingering in his mind for a long time.
He wanted to hear her explain it in person no matter what.
Shu Yao looked at him with drunken eyes, as if trying to distinguish the person in front of her. Her red lips were slightly pursed, and she mumbled incoherently: "...the ship...the ship sank..."
"Well, the ship sank." Xiao Chengjing was very patient, his fingertips brushing the corner of her lips, "Then what? Why did you come back to me?"
She twisted her body somewhat unhappily, trying to avoid his fingers, but he held her tighter.
The drunkenness made her let down her guard.
She felt wronged, and her voice was choked with sobs: "You... are annoying... but you... can't die..."
Can’t die…
The broken words strangely soothed his uneasiness.
But an almost stubborn certainty arose in his heart.
No matter whether his means were fair or not, no matter how tortuous the process was, he ultimately left an indelible mark in her heart.
"Yeah." He whispered, almost sighing, "If I die, who will care about you? Who will still hold you like this?"
"So, Yaoyao, stay by my side. Hate me, resent me... you have no choice."
He picked her up horizontally, walked into the inner hall, and gently placed her on the couch.
When her skin touched the slightly cool quilt, she shivered unconsciously, looking even more fragile and helpless.
Her eyes were half closed, her long eyelashes trembled like butterfly wings, her lips were slightly parted, and her chest rose and fell slightly with her breathing. To anyone who looked at her, she was a beauty ready to be picked.
Xiao Chengjing's gaze was heavy, lingering on the beauty that was available for anyone to pick.
He was not in a hurry to ask for it, but just knelt on one knee beside the couch and slowly leaned over.
Their breaths were similar, and before touching her lips, he hovered for a moment, then covered them with an almost pious aggressive gesture.
She could feel his hot breath on her face, and could feel the stubbornness on his lips gradually penetrating deeper.
His head became increasingly dizzy, and his body softened. The hand that had been resting against his chest finally lost its strength and fell silently to the floor.
"No..." She uttered a word vaguely.
"Yaoyao, you are drunk." He whispered in her ear, his voice so gentle that it was almost cruel.
He had been intimate with her so many times and knew exactly how to arouse her.
In just a moment, she turned into a pool of spring water.
The curtain hangs low, separating the sky and the earth.
All she could hear was his gradually increasing breathing and her powerless whimpers, intertwined in the night.
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